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Body Mechanics

and Patient Mobility

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Body Mechanics

Nursing Worker’s Comp Claims

Always a need to transfer patients

When do injuries happen?

How do we prevent injury?

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Body Mechanics

Important to use proper body mechanics

Define Body Mechanics

Assisting patients requires that use of

assistive devices

Preventing injury involves knowing how

muscles function during the performance

of tasks.

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Body Mechanics

Maintaining proper body alignment

Base of Support

When stooping: flex/bend your hips, and

knees, keep back straight, and avoid

bending from the waist

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Body Mechanics

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Promote Proper Body Mechanics

Feet 6-8 inches apart

Balance weight between both feet

Flex Knees

Tilt pelvis forward

Tighten stomach muscles

Chest up

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Promote Proper Body Mechanics

Head up

Face your work

Lift twice

Don’t lift higher than chest level

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Patient Positioning

Proper positioning of patients helps in

preventing permanent disability

Positions include: Supine (dorsal),

Fowler’s (45-60 degrees), Semi-

Fowler’s (30 degrees), orthopneic,

Sim’s, Prone, Lithotomy, Trendelenburg

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Mobility

Mobility - ability to move around freely

within environment

ADL’s activities of daily living

Immobility related complications

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Mobility

Preventing immobility complications -

reposition every 2 hours, encourage PO

intake (food and fluids), prevent

deformities, maintain proper body

alignment, early ambulation,

antiembolism measures, progressive

ambulation

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Patient Falls

If a patient is going to fall while you are

in attendance, do not attempt to prevent

it

Stand with feet apart, bring patient close

(use gait belt), rest patient buttocks on

your leg, lower patient to floor, call for

help, assist patient back to bed, Report

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Neuro Checks

Major nursing responsibility is cheking

CSM

Includes: Skin color, temp, movement,

sensation, pulses, cap refill, and pain

Compare affected limb with unaffected

limb

Compartment Syndrome

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Range of Motion

immobilized patients need some type of

exercise

prevents muscle atrophy and joint

contractures

Passive/Active ROM

CPM machine

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Range of Motion

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Range of Motion

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Range of Motion

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Patient Moving

Frequently required in nursing

Includes lifting up in bed, in to WC, off

gurney, in to shower, turning in bed

Mechanical equipment

Remember: LIFT TWICE

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Patient Moving

Considerations when providing

assistance: What can patient do,

dependence, decrease in self-care, pain

Always focus on what patient can do for

themselves

If there is pain, ALWAYS make sure

patient is medicated before moving

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Patient Moving

Moving up in bed

Turning patient

Dangling patient

Log-rolling patient

Transferring patient (gait belt use)

Assess body alignment, pressure areas

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As a nurse, it is your responsibility to

make sure that your patient’s are

appropriately positioned and that

pressure relieving measures are in place

for ALL patients that are cared for

Assessment includes patient’s ability to

change position and interventions

needed to promote skin integrity &

mobility

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Question A nurse is preparing to reposition a

dependent client who weighs more than

250 pounds. What intervention is best for

the nurse to consider when moving the

client?

Get help

Keep elbows close and work close to

body

First place client in Trendelenburg’s

Administer pain med before moving

client

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Answer

#1 - getting help first is the best

intervention

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Question A nurse is administering a cleansing

enema to a client with a fecal impaction.

Before administering enema, the nurse

assists the client in to what position?

left Sims’

right Sims’

left side, HOB elevated

right side, HOB elevated

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Answer

#1 - left Sims’ position allows enema

solution to flow by gravity in the natural

direction of the colon. The HOB is not

elevated