Module 5: Body Mechanics

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The best reason to use proper body mechanics is to:

• Avoid lifting
• Prevent injury to the patient as well as the Nurse Assistant
• Prevent damage to the equipment in the facility
• Use back to lift heavy objects

The patient/resident is positioned in bed with the head of the bed in a partial sitting position at a 40-degree angle. This position is referred to as the:

• Prone position
• Supine position
• Sim’s position
• Semi-Fowler's position

When placing a patient/resident in the lateral position, you promote good body alignment by placing pillows for support under the:

• Head, abdomen and upper arms
• Head, shoulders and ankles
• Head, upper arm, upper leg and behind the back
• Head, lower back, arms and patient’s/resident’s sides

The Nurse Assistant has been asked to assist a patient/resident with ambulation. During the procedure, the Nurse Assistant should:

• Stand behind the patient/resident and provide support by holding the patient/resident around the waist
• Walk beside the patient/resident with the assistant’s arm locked with the patient’s/resident’s arm
• Walk in front of the patient/resident with patient’s/resident’s hands placed on the assistant’s shoulders for support
• Walk slightly behind and to one side of patient/resident providing support with the gait belt

Nurse Assistants are encouraged to use a gait belt when assisting with patient transfers. The purpose of a gait belt is to:

• Hold the patient’s/resident’s clothing in place
• Support the patient/resident when seated and protect the patient/resident from falling out of the chair
• Assist in transferring a dependent patient/resident and protect both the patient/resident and Nurse Assistant from injury
• Provide a safety handle for the patient/resident

Once an object has been lifted, the Nurse Assistant should keep the object:

• Under your arm
• Held to the side of the body
• As close to the body as possible
• In front of the body at shoulder height

When the Nurse Assistant is moving a patient/resident toward the head of the bed, they should remove

• The foot cradle from the bed and place on floor
• The pillow from under the patient’s/resident’s head and place it against the headboard
• The bed covers from the patient/resident and fold at the end of the bed
• Any traction equipment that may be attached to the bed

When assisting a patient/resident with left-sided weakness to transfer from the bed to a chair, the chair should be located:

• At the head of the bed, on patient’s/resident’s right side
• At the foot of the bed, on patient’s/resident’s left side
• At the middle of the bed directly across from where the patient/resident sits in the bed
• Across the room to encourage the patient/resident to get up and walk

When positioning a patient/resident in a side-lying position, the Nurse Assistant must first:

• Log roll the patient/resident toward the nearest side rail
• Move the patient/resident toward the foot of the bed
• Move the patient/resident to the side of the bed where the Nurse Assistant is standing
• Log roll the patient/resident toward the opposite side rail by yourself