Everyday patient handling: looking beyond major transfers

Beyond the major transfer

Patient handling is often associated with prominent activities such as hoist transfers or moving a patient between a bed and trolley. However, much of the physical workload experienced by healthcare workers occurs during routine bedside care.

Turning, boosting, repositioning and supporting access for hygiene, wound care or clinical procedures may be performed repeatedly throughout a shift. Although these movements can appear less demanding than a major transfer, they may still involve repetitive force, pushing, pulling and sustained or awkward postures.

Why routine tasks matter

Australian hazardous manual task guidance recognises that risk is not determined by weight alone. Repetitive movement, sustained force, high or sudden force and awkward posture can all contribute to musculoskeletal risk.

The demands of a bedside task may also increase when:

• the patient has limited mobility or cannot assist
• the patient's condition or behaviour is unpredictable
• space around the bed is restricted
• there is a difference in height between surfaces
• equipment is unavailable or difficult to access
• the movement must be repeated frequently

Because repositioning is embedded in everyday care, it can become normalised and may not always receive the same planning as a major patient transfer.

Assess the complete workflow

A safer approach begins with the movement being performed and the circumstances surrounding it.

This includes considering:

• the patient's mobility, condition and support needs
• the frequency and duration of the task
• the number of workers required
• the available working space
• the bed and support surface
• the amount of pushing, pulling or lifting involved
• whether suitable equipment can reduce physical effort or friction

Support every movement

A complete patient-handling strategy should address more than transfers between surfaces. It should also support:

• bed boosting
• controlled turning
• repositioning
• hygiene and wound access
• pressure-care activities
• lower-limb access

Recognising these everyday movements as distinct patient-handling workflows helps organisations select more appropriate equipment and design safer, more practical systems of work.