Lifting and Moving Patients EMR

In addition to ensure your own safety, the most important guideline to follow when moving a patient is to:

• move the patient’s body as a unit.

• do no further harm to the patient.

• move the patient as little as possible.

• move the patient only when necessary.

When moving a patient, who typically gives the command to begin the move?

• The rescuer at the patient’s head

• The strongest rescuer at the scene

• The most senior responder at the scene

• The paramedic in charge of patient care

All of the following are general recommendations to follow when moving a patient, except:

• explaining to the patient what you are going to do and how.

• moving the patient before treating him or her if the scene is safe.

• delaying the move of a patient until additional EMS personnel arrive.

• moving the patient as few times as possible unless the scene is unsafe.

If you suspect that a patient has suffered a head or spine injury, you should:

• move the patient quickly so that his or her spine can be immobilized.

• allow the patient to move slowly as you stabilize his or her head.

• carefully move the patient in a sitting position to avoid further injury.

• keep the patient’s head and spine immobilized to avoid movement.

Regardless of the technique you use for moving patients, you should:

• keep your arms away from your body.

• maintain a slight curvature of your back.

• lift and lower the patient by bending your back.

• lift and lower the patient by bending your legs.

You and your partner are the first to arrive at the scene of a man who fell approximately 20′ (6 m) from a second-story balcony. The patient is found lying on his side. He is conscious and alert with adequate breathing. A paramedic unit is approximately 5 minutes away. You should:

• apply a cervical collar and carefully secure the patient to a short backboard or vest-style immobilization device.

• carefully place the patient on his back and stabilize his head and neck until the paramedic unit arrives at the scene.

• carefully immobilize the patient to a long backboard and monitor his condition until the paramedic unit arrives.

• keep the patient’s head and neck stabilized, tell the patient not to move, and wait for the paramedic unit to arrive at the scene.

The recovery position is used for patients who are:

• unconscious and not injured.

• experiencing respiratory distress.

• severely obese and not breathing.

• semiconscious with a neck injury.

With regard to lifting and moving, good body mechanics includes:

• twisting your body slightly when lifting.

• keeping your feet no less than 3′ (1 m) apart.

• using your legs and not your back when lifting.

• lifting with the strong musculature of your back.

Before attempting to move any patient, you should:

• roll the patient onto his or her side to estimate his or her weight.

• assess the patient’s weight and know your physical limitations.

• concentrate on what you are doing instead of the other rescuers.

• put on a protective back brace to facilitate curvature of your back.

You are the first medically trained person to arrive at the scene of an ill person. You find the patient, a 350-pound man, sitting in a small bathroom. The patient tells you that he is extremely weak and is unable to walk. You should:

• carefully lift the patient and move him to a more open area.

• wait for additional rescuers to arrive before trying to move him.

• apply a cervical collar and position the patient on his left side.

• use the one-person walking assist technique to move the patient.