Gurney ops and moving patients

SanJoseEmt

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Hello,

How would you transfer a patient on a backboard to the gurney without twisting your back and with only 2 people available?

How would you transfer a patient on a gurney and bed sheet where one person is at the head and one person at the feet onto a bed without twisting back?


Thanks
 
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SanJoseEmt

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So you just side step and move arms only?
 

DrParasite

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I'm not sure what you are talking about, but no.

1) why are you twisting? that's just asking for a back injury
2) you can go head to toe, or side to side. in either case, you shouldn't be twisting.
3) wasn't proper lifting and moving covered in your EMT class?
4) hasn't your agency instructed you on the proper lifting and moving techniques?
 

DesertMedic66

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Backboard to gurney: you lift from the ground with your back straight and using your legs. Once you get to waist height you just side step to where the gurney is. Squat down and set the background on the gurney and then please take the patient off the backboard.

Gurney to gurney transfer with bed sheet: have 1 person on the side of your gurney and push it up to the next gurney. Have your partner on the far side of the empty gurney. That person may want to place their knees on the empty gurney so they don’t have to lean over as far. Both providers grab the sheet. One pushes and one pulls.
 
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SanJoseEmt

Forum Crew Member
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I'm not sure what you are talking about, but no.

1) why are you twisting? that's just asking for a back injury
2) you can go head to toe, or side to side. in either case, you shouldn't be twisting.
3) wasn't proper lifting and moving covered in your EMT class?
4) hasn't your agency instructed you on the proper lifting and moving techniques?


Yes but I have encountered situations where a bed can’t be moved from the wall and bed is very small, so we usually draw sheet but have to get on bed. I was wondering if there was a way to move patient without getting on the bed. I never twist, but I would assume if I were to lift a patient using a bed sheet onto the bed, I’d have to twist.
 

DrParasite

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are you talking about a hospital or facility bed? because 99% of those have wheels. private beds are a different story.

if you have a bed in a corner, than you might have to get on the bed, as shown in this picture:

Skill:+Draw+Sheet+Transfer.jpg


repeat after me: if you twist, you WILL get hurt.

lift with your legs, not your back. smooth motions, not fast jerky ones. keep your back straight when lifting patients.

If you can, slide the patient on a draw sheet (those of the flat sheets that don't stretch, not the ones that are fitted to the bed). smooth motions. if you need to get on the bed, than do it. That's why we wear long pants, to protect our legs.

oh, and in case you forgot, don't twist, you WILL get hurt.
 

Phillyrube

Leading Chief
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Slide board. We always kept one on the box.

51al9IaCP2L.jpg


If you're at the facility, there's always one of these around:

7799PTD-ST-2.jpg
 

DrParasite

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What are you talking about? neither of those are backboards.

the green thing is a hospital bed sliding board, while the wooden one is a wheelchair slide board.
 

teufulhund

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Yes but I have encountered situations where a bed can’t be moved from the wall and bed is very small, so we usually draw sheet but have to get on bed. I was wondering if there was a way to move patient without getting on the bed. I never twist, but I would assume if I were to lift a patient using a bed sheet onto the bed, I’d have to twist.
Slide board. We always kept one on the box.

51al9IaCP2L.jpg


If you're at the facility, there's always one of these around:

7799PTD-ST-2.jpg
Those slide boards are my absolute favorite. A lot of EMTs I work with think they’re too much hassle to hunt down at the hospital. But guess who’s the one who’s gonna be having back pain, not this guy.
 

Phillyrube

Leading Chief
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What are you talking about? neither of those are backboards.

the green thing is a hospital bed sliding board, while the wooden one is a wheelchair slide board.

Moving a patient from the gurney to the bed using a sheet. Ok, do it the hard way. Most of us are lazy.😅
 

Phillyrube

Leading Chief
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Couldn’t you still use those as backboards tho? Just need belts

No, too thin, bend really easy. They are designed so a patient on sheets can be slid, virtually no friction, from a bed to a litter, litter to bed, etc. The small slide board can be used, let it take the weight of the patient at his butt, while you slide the sheet from head and foot.

 

Virgil

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Didn’t want to make a new thread so

After working in EMS for a while, have any of you had issues with the back? What steps did you have to take to recover? Back brace?
 
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