The following section on moving and handling is addressed to your carer, but it should also help you to understand what they are doing and why.
Mobility
It is important to encourage the patient’s independence for as long as possible. This helps to keep up morale and helps physical comfort.
Before you help someone move in bed, or from bed to a chair, please note:
- Clear the floor of shoes, rugs or other items on which you might trip or which might prevent you getting into the correct position.
- If you are helping the patient to a chair or commode, remember to position it near to the bed.
- Explain exactly what you plan to do so that your patient understands and can cooperate with you.
- Remember to be as gentle as possible when moving the patient
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Safer handling
Before carrying out any techniques, please read the following tips. These should help reduce the likelihood of injury.
- Make a good stable base with your feet, one foot in front of the other, hip width apart.
- Bend your knees, and use your legs to power the manoeuvre.
- Keep your back in a comfortable upright position.
- Keep your head up when carrying out a manoeuvre as this promotes good posture.
- Do use any equipment that you may have been given, ensuring that you have been instructed in and understand how to use it.
- If in doubt about moving the patient, ask the District Nurse or Marie Curie Nurse for advice.
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Safety
The following pictures and text are designed to help you to roll a patient in bed, or move them from bed to a chair at home.
Ask the District Nurse or the Marie Curie Nurse to demonstrate the movements before carrying them out yourself.
Due to the risk of injury, either to yourself or to the person you are assisting, you must NOT bear all or even most of the weight of another person. These techniques should only be carried out
with patients who are able to help you with the movement and who can follow instructions.
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Rolling a patient over in bed
To change the patient’s position in bed for comfort or to wash
them:
| 1. Remove bedclothes and all but one pillow. Cross one leg over the other leg towards you. |  |
| 2. Move their arm over their chest towards you. |  |
| 3. With one hand on their hips and the other behind their shoulders, roll them towards you onto their side. You can make your patient comfortable like this or wash their back. |  |
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Helping to move a patient from bed to chair
Before you can help the patient sit in a chair or commode, you need to get them to sit on the side of the bed. The patient should need very little help.
| 1. With the patient already on their side, ask them to drop the lower part of their legs over the side of the bed. |  |
| 2 Have the patient gently push themselves into a sitting position. Now you need to help the patient stand. |  |
3. Sit alongside them and hold one hand (palm to palm) whilst placing the other around their waist. Do not interlock your thumb with theirs as this is potentially dangerous. Both of you should place one foot
slightly in front of the other. |  |
| 4. On the command ready, steady, stand - help them to stand. They can help by pushing against the bed with their other hand. |  |
5. Using small steps, gently help them to the chair. If it has arms
they should feel for one with their free hand. Once they feel the back of the chair against their legs they can lower themselves into position. |  |
To help the patient back into bed, simply use the same techniques in reverse.
This manoeuvre is only appropriate if the carer is providing minimal assistance, and the patient is doing most of the work. If this is not possible, it may not be safe to help the patient to stand.
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