Healthcare workers often have physical jobs that place considerable strain on the body. One of these duties has to do with moving patients, which can involve having to lift them. Each time a patient has to be moved, there’s a risk of unpredictable movement.
Patients also often need assistance with bathing, toileting or transferring, each of which can be dangerous. A patient may lose their balance, become weak resist assistance or require more support than expected. In those cases, an assisting healthcare worker is likely going to put strain on their own body to prevent the patient from being injured.
Why is lifting a patient so dangerous?
Lifting a patient is dangerous because a patient isn’t like a box with a stable shape. Instead, they may shift, grab or lean while they’re being lifted. Even careful workers can suffer injuries when they have to reach, twist, bend or support the patient’s weight away from their body.
Employers have a duty to mitigate the risks of lifting patients. This can include a variety of methods, such as providing mechanical lifts, transfer boards, adjustable beds or friction reducing devices. Having written procedures, proper training and adequate staffing support can also help to reduce the risk of falls in a nursing home.
Why are injuries from lifting patients challenging?
Injuries from lifting patients often don’t occur as a result of a single incident. Instead, some injuries like back strains, herniated discs, sprains, and shoulder tears, occur over a prolonged period. The symptoms may start like a mild case of overuse, but it eventually becomes evident that there’s something serious going on.
Injured healthcare professionals may opt to file a workers’ compensation claim, which can be challenging when a single incident hasn’t clearly caused the problem at issue. These cases can be complex, so it’s typically best to work with someone familiar with healthcare industry workers’ compensation claims when filing.
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