Correct way to lift someone off the floor

[lainiej]

I work as a home carer -usually alone. Twice I have come across ladies who have fallen out of bed and I struggle to get them up off the floor. Whats the best and safest way to d this single-handed?

[Jayne-123]

I am surprised nobody has given you training in this, I would contact Social Services for advice.

[ladyalex]

I too am surprised that you have not had training in this. Enquire at work about a 'Moving and Handling' course.

[ladyalex]

This looks helpful, but you really should be trained.

[RATTER15]

If you have no first aid or medical training, then strictly speaking you should call an ambulance.

If he or she broke a hip when falling, moving them could be fatal.

[RATTER15]

A moving and handling course, of which I have done quite a few will only generally cover lifting a person off the floor with a hoist but only after that person have been checked for injury, A broken hip is easily missed, even paramedics have missed this injury.

[lainiej]

yes I've had moving and handling courses but as you say its with hoists

[RATTER15]

In your position as a lone carer you would almost certainly need to call 999 if only to cover your own back.

[RATTER15]

My partner phoned me up at work to say her Mother had fallen on the floor, I had no hesitation it telling her to phone an ambulance. It turned out that she had a broken hip and a broken shoulder.

[lainiej]

the video is really helpful thanks! however both ladies were between the bedside and a wall so quite awkward. So aware of hurting them or myself!

[woofgang]

If you are alone then the home should deffo have a hoist and you should be trained to use it BUT even then its not easy and can be quite an ordeal for the fallen person. Me I would make them comfortable without moving them and call 999. I am a retired Occupational therapist and community rehab team manager and manila Handling Trainer/Advisor.

[lainiej]

going to take your advice ratter and contact paramedics in future situations like this. many thanks

[woofgang]

manila handling Ha ha should have been "manual handling"

[Sqad]

lainiej.

If they let you put them back into bed without objecting due to pain, then they haven't got a fractured neck of femur, so don't worry and don't bother the para medics.

If they do object due to pain, then leave well alone and call the paramedics.

In answer to your question......I didn't know there was a correct way, but there again, I don't often come across that problem....;-)

[woofgang]

not true Sqad. I have personal knowledge of two different people at different times who fractured femur in falls and were put back to bed. neither complained of undue pain, keeping in mind that falls usually result in bumps bruises and aches. In both cases the fracture was undiagnosed until the following day when extreme external rotation of the injured leg was noticed. My own Mum broke her humerus in a fall and that wasn't diagnosed until she had been in hospital for 24 hours and she actually admitted that her arm hurt. She thought if she told them about the pain they'd put her in a home :-(

[Sqad]

woofgang.....so what is the big deal if the patient, not in pain, is diagnosed with a fracture of the neck of femur 48 hours later and has been lifted into bed? Nothing untoward will happen.

Even if it was diagnosed on the spot, I bet my bottom dollar that the operation would have been delayed 48 hours.

I stand by my original answer.

If they are in pain...call the para medics.
If they are not then put them into bed.

[wendilla]

I worked for years in private homecare visiting patients. We were told that never ever lift a patient up off the floor but to call an ambulance in all cases and another thing you have to think about is yourself as well as you would be no good in your job if you done your back an injury. I would have thought your agency you worked with would have told you this.

[AlBags]

The THREE MAN LIFT is quite fun : )

[RATTER15]

Sqad, you obviously know little about about broken neck of femur injuries, moving a patient with a broken femur can be fatal, your advice goes against every bit of training in this country and is wrong, I have dealt with a fair few broken neck of femurs and spoken in detail to the paramedics concerned.

[RATTER15]

I also had one lady walk 20 meters without serious complaint with a broken neck of femur.

[DaisyNonna]

Was told to call 999 whenever I found my dad on the floor after a fall.