Manual Handling Technique

This document discusses manual handling techniques and the use of assistive equipment in caregiving and safety improvement. It covers topics such as the use of wheelchairs and toileting aids, moving and handling equipment in the clinical setting, and the importance of training and understanding handling techniques. It also explores the use of assistive equipment in moving patients and the elderly, as well as the risks involved. Additionally, it discusses the use of normal moving patterns in handling patients and the importance of communication and adherence to rules in handling techniques.

Running head: MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 1
MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE
Name of Student
Institutional Affiliation

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 2
MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE
TASK 1
Assistive equipment is any equipment that is used to lessen the burden of work that
would rather have been used in undertaking any task. They help in caregiving and safety
improvement that is needed for patients with different disabilities and also in the care of the
elderly, (Emiliani et al., 2009). Wheelchairs and toileting aid are an example of assistive aids
used. Wheelchairs are mobility aid equipment used to move patients or the elderly from one
point to another in seated positions. They can either be manual meaning they have to be
propelled by the patient or a companion; alternatively, they can be powered meaning it has an
electric motor that is used to propel it. Toilet aids are used to make it safe and easy for the
elderly or patients with mobility problems and need assistance. Toilet frames are an example of a
toilet aid that is used to give support and stability when getting on and off the toilet, (Fallon,
Hanks, 2014).
Moving and handling equipment is used in the clinical setting to provide a safe
environment for the caregiver and the patient to offer better care for a desirable outcome, (Potter
et al., 2017). The caregiver must receive adequate training and fully understand the techniques
and instructions on handling the equipment; otherwise, they pose a danger to themselves and the
patient involved. Examples of this equipment are; slide sheet, transfer board, stretcher, and
transfer belt. Transfer boards also known as slide boards are used to transfer patients from one
surface to another by bridging the gap for example from the wheelchair to the bed or from the
stretcher to the bed,(Johansson, Chinworth, 2018). They are made of either plastic or wood.
Stretchers are used to carry patients in the supine position and mostly used in the emergency

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 3
departments. Transfer belts are used to help patients in standing or sitting and different transfers.
It is placed around the waist; it has several handgrips to minimize the risk of the belt slipping.
Slide sheet is used to reposition the patient in bed by being placed under the patient, in the lateral
transfer of patients and sling attachment.
TASK 2
Moving people using assistive equipment
The use of assistive equipment in the moving of patients or the elderly in the clinical
setting was an overwhelming task towards the end of my training and an uphill task to undertake
when starting. It is exciting in the sense that it helps someone who would not have efficiently
done the task at hand be either moving from one point to another or using a toilet and this brings
about improved health care outcome, (Miller, Pellerito, 2011). It is also an uphill task because
sometimes the patient or the elderly being helped does not cooperate and ends up making the
environment not safe for the caregiver and themselves. The assistive equipment is meant to make
easier the tasks to be undertaken by patients with various disabilities and the elderly by reducing
the effort that is needed in performing these tasks. A wheelchair which is either manual or
powered makes it easier for the patients to move or be moved by a caregiver within the hospital
or outside to acquire the services that they need (Olson, 2010).
The use of a wheelchair in the moving of a patient required one or more people to assist
in the carrying of the patient from the bed to the wheelchair. After receiving the necessary
training and acquiring the techniques required in the handling and usage of a wheelchair I was
able to practice enough in the hospital. The use of a wheelchair requires that one understands the
following procedures to operate it efficiently; steps for opening the wheelchair, closing the
wheelchair, getting into the wheelchair, getting out of the wheelchair, moving the wheelchair,

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 4
getting up and down stairs, transporting a wheelchair and the safety tips to be followed in the
operating of the wheelchair. When opening the wheelchair I was required to stand in front of the
wheelchair, then push down and outward keeping my fingers inwards to prevent them from
being trapped on the sides. After the wheelchair was fully opened, then I had to place a cushion
on the seat. After preparing the wheelchair, I would then ask for assistance to help me move the
patient or the elderly from the bed to the wheelchair. It is important to note that there are clear
instructions that one should never get into a wheelchair if the brakes are not on as this poses
many risks for the patient and the caregiver. With my patient on the wheelchair, I would then
move them to the required destinations. Some patients were very cooperative, and it was an easy
task teaching them on how to use the wheelchair on their own, (Johansson and Chinworth, 2018).
My patients or the elderly in my care who needed help in the usage of the toilets were
adequately covered for as there were several toilet aids at my disposal in the facility. They were
used by patients or the elderly who needed support in the usage of bedside toilets (commode) or
toilet safety frame. At first, it was not easy as I had not clearly understood the procedures to be
followed, but with time it was an enjoyable task to do. The use of bedside commodes which are
movable toilets that do not use running water look like a chair that has a toilet seat and have a
container underneath required that I help my patient who was not able to efficiently use the toilet
because of their disabilities. I had to prepare the commode first then help the patient use it; items
needed for the commode are disposable gloves, toilet paper, a container with warm water, soap,
washcloth, and a towel. The commode was then set up by putting a container under the seat, put
a small amount of water into it to make it easier when late cleaning it. The next step was helping
the patient use the commode; first I had to lock the wheels of the, help the patient out of bed into
the commode. Some needed assistance the use but some were comfortable to be left alone with a

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 5
bell that they could ring to signal that they were done or in case they needed help. After the
patient finished using the commode then with my gloves on for safety measures I would help
them use a toilet paper, with water clean their bottom and genital area then wipe gently dry with
a towel. Help them wash their hands and then get into their bed. The next task was to remove the
container and empty it into the toilet, clean the container with a germ-cleanser using a toilet
brush.
The use of assistive equipment in the handling of my patients brought so much joy to me
as helping the needy was one of my major motivations to join this profession. The many patients
I was able to take care of during my training helped me acquire knowledge in dealing with
different types of patients as some were cooperative and others were not. The use of assistive
equipment in the care of patients has greatly improved the health outcomes of the patients
involved and lessened the burden that is endured in taking care of the elderly.
TASK 3
Moving people using normal moving patterns
Moving people using normal moving patterns means helping patients with disabilities in
movement and the elderly use the normal movement such as sitting and standing, moving in bed,
using hoists and lateral transfers between surfaces that are at similar heights. There are several
risks involved in these handling techniques, and they need to be thoroughly assessed before they
are performed. I needed to systematically explain to my patients what was to be done for their
safety and mine if they clearly understood what I had told them only then could I proceed to
perform the task. Equipment used in these techniques included a slide sheet, transfer board,
stretcher, and transfer belt.

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 6
Patients under my care who needed help in repositioning themselves in bed such as
during a bed bath would be helped with the use of a slide sheet. From my instructor, I was taught
that the slide sheets have to be placed underneath the bed sheets to protect the skin integrity of
my patients from injuries such as friction burns. The technique for using a slide sheet required
that I place it underneath a bed sheet first ensuring that I keep the edge of the slide sheet to edge
of the bed, (Hargrove-Huttel.Colgrove, 2014). I was then supposed to push the slide sheet
through under my patient while pushing down on the mattress. After this was done, then I would
roll my patient on to the side and pull through the slide sheet. With the slide sheet in place then
several maneuvers would be performed such as moving the patient up the bed. At times I would
help using this technique depending on the size of the patients I was dealing with; some were
heavy and required me to have a helping hand to move them.
Lateral transfers are used in patients who needed help in moving from one surface to
another surface of similar height. The initial steps require assessment and any other risk factor
that would have a probable effect in the moving of the patient, (Giesinger et al., 2018). I had to
ensure that the transfer surfaces were of similar heights as the difference in height exposes the
patient to danger. The technique of moving a patient using a transfer board requires the help of
other caregivers as it not safe to perform it alone. When moving patients from a stretcher to the
bed or from one bed to another required we be at least four caregivers; one carer would roll the
patient on to side facing away from the direction of transfer, move the second bed or stretcher
against the first bed and bridge the gap using a transfer board. The patient would then be moved
across the transfer board and safely into the next bed, and then the transfer board is removed.
Performing all these tasks equipped me with an experience that I would carry on in my
future practice as a caregiver. Through my training, I was able to learn how important it was to

MANUAL HANDLING TECHNIQUE 7
strictly adhere to the rules and regulations that are needed while performing the various
techniques. Before undertaking this tasks, it was required that one be adequately prepared first
and ensure that everything needed for the technique is available and ready, assess the risks
involved, communicates with patient and explains what is happening. Communication is a key
element as this lets the patient understand what will be done and give their consent; this will help
in cultural and religious considerations. Moving and handling techniques involve touching of the
patient even when using mechanical and physical contact in some, some cultures and religions
do not allow this, and therefore it is important that the patient understand what is happening.

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