National University: Reflection on Manual Handling Skills (NRSG140)

This assignment is a reflective journal entry from a nursing student at National University (NRSG140: Integrating Practice 2) detailing their experience with manual handling skills during a clinical placement. The student describes a specific scenario involving a 75-year-old patient with spinal and skull injuries, highlighting the challenges of moving the patient and the reliance on teamwork and supervisor guidance. The reflection covers the student's feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis of what went well, and conclusions about the importance of manual handling skills. It also includes an action plan for future practice, emphasizing the need for prior research and consultation with experienced nurses. The student references relevant literature to support their reflections, emphasizing the need for repeated practice and commitment to master the skills for effective patient care.

Running head: REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL 1
REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation

REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL 2
REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING
Description
Manual handling is an essential skill in the nursing profession. It is the process of
supporting, transporting a load through the use of the hand or any other part of the body.
Activities included in manual handling include carrying, pulling or pushing (Warren, 2016). The
majority of accidents occurring in the healthcare setting are associated with manual handling.
Additionally, about 40% of absenteeism caused by sickness is associated with handling and
moving accidents (Kulkarni & Darsana, 2013).Besides, the number of nurses who sustain back
injuries annually is estimated to be over 80,000.These facts make it significant for nurses to
acquire manual handling skills.
During one of my practical classes, the other two colleagues and I were working in the s
attending to a 75-year-old gentleman named Robert, who had suffered a major spinal injury after
being involved in an accident. On top of his spinal injury, the patient also had injuries in his
skull. The Nurse supervisor in charge had tasked us with the responsibility of supporting the
movement of the patient. Some of our duties included aiding the progress of the patient from his
bed to the bathroom or washrooms, lifting him to his bed, changing his sleeping or sitting
position. Handling, the patient was challenging because of his heavyweight, because of this
reason, at one incident, we almost dropped him while helping him to get back to his bed. In most
of the situations, we had to seek assistance from our supervisor to attend to the patient without
worsening his condition or risking our physical health. However, through guidance and support
from our supervisor as well as the repetition of tasks associated with the role, I was able to
improve my effectiveness in the manual handling of patients.

REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL 3
Feelings
The acquisition of manual handling skills through practical experience was quite exciting.
I felt a sense of fulfillment by making use of the theory acquired through the theoretical aspect of
the nursing profession. Before starting my clinical placement, I was quite happy and thought that
dealing with patients in conditions such as that of Mr. Robert would be quite straightforward.
When I realized that perfecting manual handling skills required patience and practice, I felt
frustrated at myself for my ignorance. Although our lack of experience almost harmed the
patient, the fact that at the end of it, I had perfected the skill of manual handling made me happy
and contented.
Evaluation
The good thing about my practical manual handling experience was the fact that the
commitment of our instructor to ensure that we mastered the skill was exceptional. The
acquisition of the skill was also facilitated by my dedication as well as the determination of my
group in carrying out all the practical aspects of the course. The fact that I initially encountered
challenges at the start made me work even harder. The thing that did not work for me was my
prior assumption that the mastery of the skill would have been effortless.
Analysis
I believe that the reason why the practical class went on so well because I was committed
to the task. I also consulted on several occasions with my colleagues and the nurse leader. I also
believe that the effort put by the nurse leader to provide us with the necessary support was a
contributing factor in the success of the practical class. From this situation, I can clearly

REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL 4
understand how important it is for nurses to have manual handling skills because what awaits
them in clinical practicum is not something easy. The use of relevant literature can help me to
enhance my mastery of the skill (Kay, Evans & Glass, 2015).
Conclusions
I learnt that the acquisition of manual handling skills is quite essential for me as a nurse. I
also discovered that success in manual handling required repeated practice and commitment. The
situation could have been more positive if I had not relied on my assumptions about the ease of
acquiring manual handling skills. Doing sufficient personal research before undertaking my
practical classes would also have made the experience more positive.
Action Plan
If I had the opportunity to learn about manual handling again, I would have done enough
personal research before embarking on my practical skills. Additionally, I would also ensure that
I consult a nurse experienced in manual handling to have a prior understanding of what it takes
to care for patients with mobility challenges. Potentially, I would also suggest an increase in the
number of hours allocated for practical classes to ensure that all students including those whose
understanding is lower than the rest of us acquired the skill without many challenges

REFLECTION ION MANUAL HANDLING SKILL 5
References
Kay, K., Evans, A., & Glass, N. (2015). Moments of speaking and silencing: Nurses share their
experiences of manual handling in healthcare. Collegian, 22(1), 61-70.
Kulkarni, S., & Darsana, N. G. (2013). Musculoskeletal Risk Assessment among Nurses in Patient
Manual Handling in Hospital Wards–A Cross Sectional Study. Cureus, 5(8).
Warren, G. (2016). Continuing Professional Development. Moving and handling: reducing risk through
assessment. Nursing Standard, 30(40).