Lifting, Moving, and Positioning Patients

1
Lifting, Moving, and Positioning Patients
Unit 1 Preparatory

• CHAPTER 5

2
Lifting, Moving, and Positioning Patients

• Principles of Moving Patients
• When to Move a Patient
• Body Mechanics and Lifting Technique
• Moving Patients
• Positioning Patients
• Equipment

3
Principles of Moving Patients

• When to Move a Patient
• First responders should not move patients.
• Your role is to
• Assess the patient.
• Provide emergency care.
• Monitor the patients condition..
• Move patients only
• In a dangerous environment
• To check airway and breathing to start CPR,
• When you are unable to gain access to other
  patients who need life-saving care

4
Principles of Moving Patients

• You may be called upon to assist other EMS
  responders in lifting and moving patients.

5
Body Mechanics and Lifting

• Techniques
• First plan what you will do and how you will do
  it.
• Estimate the weight of the patient or object.
• If needed, request additional help.
• Consider any physical limitations that may make
  lifting difficult or unsafe for you.

6
Body Mechanics and Lifting

• Techniques
• Lift with a partner whose strength and height are
  similar to yours.
• Communicate with your partner and with the
  patient when you are ready to lift and continue
  to communicate throughout the process.

7
Body Mechanics and Lifting

• Safe Lifting

8
Body Mechanics and Lifting

• Follow these rules to prevent injury
• Position your feet properly.
• Use your legs, not your back, to do the lifting.
• Minimize twisting during a lift.
• When lifting with one hand, avoid leaning to
  either side.
• Keep the weight as close to your body as
  possible.

9
Body Mechanics and Lifting

• When carrying a patient on stairways, use a chair
  or commercial stair chair instead of a wheeled
  stretcher whenever possible.

10
Moving Patients

• Emergency Moves
• When there is immediate danger to the patient if
  not moved
• Problems with the ABCs
• Uncontrolled traffic
• Fire or threat of fire
• Possible explosions
• Impending structural collapse
• Possible electrical hazards
• Toxic gases

11
Moving Patients

• Emergency Moves
• Life-saving care cannot be given because of the
  patients location or position
• To provide CPR
• To reach a profusely bleeding wound
• You are unable to gain access to other patients
  who need life-saving care
• To quickly move a patient who has no neck or
  spine injuries in order to reach another patient
  who needs immediate care

12
Moving Patients

• Emergency Moves
• It is important to make every effort to pull the
  patient in the direction of the long axis of the
  body, which will provide as much protection to
  the spine as possible.

13
Moving Patients

• Drags
• The patient is dragged by
• The clothes
• The feet
• The shoulders
• A blanket
• Drags do not provide protection for the neck and
  spine.

14
Moving Patients

• Drags
• Never drag a patient sideways.
• Drags can cause twisting motions and aggravation
  of injuries.
• Drag in the direction of the long axis of the
  body.
• Drag method down stairs
• Go first and use a shoulder drag.
• Pull the patient headfirst by lifting under the
  arms.
• Cradle the patients head in your forearms as you
  drag.

15
Moving Patients

• Firefighters Carry

Rescuer grasps victims wrists.
16
Moving Patients

• Firefighters Carry

Rescuer stands on victims toes and pulls.
17
Moving Patients

• Firefighters Carry

Rescuer pulls victim over a shoulder.
18
Moving Patients

• Firefighters Carry

Rescuer grasps one arm and one leg of patient.
19
Moving Patients

• Blanket Lift and Drag

Rescuer moves patient using a blanket.
20
Moving Patients

• Piggyback Carry

Rescuer carries patient on his back.
21
Moving Patients

• Non-emergency Moves
• Used when there is no immediate threat to life
• All non-emergency moves should be carried out
  with the help of other trained personnel or
  bystanders.
• Take care to prevent additional injury to the
  patient, as well as to avoid patient discomfort
  and pain.

22
Moving Patients

• Non-emergency moves
• Follow these rules for a non-emergency move
• Initial assessment should be completed.
• Patients ABCs should be intact.
• Vital signs should be stable.
• No uncontrolled external bleeding
• No indication of internal bleeding
• Care must be taken to avoid compromising a
  possible neck or spine injury.
• All suspected fractures should be splinted.

23
Moving Patients

• Non-emergency moves
• A non-emergency move could be justified if
• Factors at the scene cause patient decline
• You must reach other patients
• Care requires moving the patient
• Patient insists on being moved

24
Moving Patients

• Direct Ground Lift

(step 1)
25
Moving Patients

• Direct Ground Lift

(step 2)
26
Moving Patients

• Direct Ground Lift

(step 3)
27
Moving Patients

• Direct Ground Lift

(step 4)
28
Moving Patients

• Extremity Lift

(step 1)
29
Moving Patients

• Extremity Lift

(step 2)
30
Moving Patients

• Extremity Lift

(step 3)
31
Moving Patients

• Direct Carry

(step 1)
32
Moving Patients

• Direct Carry

(step 2)
33
Moving Patients

• Direct Carry

(step 3)
34
Moving Patients

• Draw Sheet Method

(step 1)
35
Moving Patients

• Draw Sheet Method

(step 2)
36
Patient Positioning

• Recovery Position
• Unresponsive patients with no suspected spine
  injury should be placed in the recovery position.

37
Patient Positioning

• Log Roll

(step 1)
38
Patient Positioning

• Log Roll

(step 2)
39
Patient Positioning

• Log Roll

(step 3)
40
Equipment
The First Responder should be familiar with
equipment used in the local EMS system.
41
Equipment

• Wheeled Stretcher

42
Equipment

• Portable Stretcher

43
Equipment

• Scoop (Orthopedic) Stretcher

44
Equipment

• Stair Chair

45
Equipment

• Short Spine Board

46
Equipment

• Long Spine Board

47
Equipment

• Vest-Type Extrication Device

48
Equipment

• Basket Stretcher

49
Equipment

• Flexible Stretcher

50
Equipment

• Sizing a Cervical Collar

(step 1)
(step 2)
(step 3)
51
Equipment

• Applying a Cervical Collar

(step 1)
(step 2)
(step 3)
52
Equipment

• Applying a Cervical Collar to a Supine Patient

(step 1)
(step 2)
(step 3)
53
Summary

• Principles of Moving Patients
• When to Move a Patient
• Body Mechanics and Lifting Technique
• Moving Patients
• Positioning Patients
• Equipment