Techniques for Lifting & Carrying Patients Safely [Video]

Some PHS patients have little or no mobility and that means parents and caregivers may have to do some significant lifting, handling, and carrying. Physical demands for those caring for medically-fragile children can also include stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing and pulling.

Here’s a reminder: be sure to use proper lifting techniques when helping a patient bathe, get in and out of bed, up and down stairs, or in any situation when lift equipment is unavailable or unnecessary.

Improper lifting can lead to serious back injuries to caregivers—and maybe patients, too—if they are dropped or slip in the process of being moved.

Back injury statistics

More than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses.

PHS recommends the following safe …