Why patient-handling equipment should be planned around the care task

Owning equipment is not enough

Appropriate patient-handling equipment is an important part of reducing physical risk in healthcare and aged care.

However, simply owning equipment is not enough. The equipment must be appropriate for the individual, the movement and the clinical environment. It must also be available, maintained and reflected in the agreed handling process.

Start with the person and the movement

WorkSafe Victoria recommends that patient-care planning identify:

• the recommended mechanical aids and equipment
• the safe handling method
• how many people should assist with the transfer
• when the plan needs to be reviewed

This moves patient handling away from an improvised decision at the bedside and toward a planned system of care.

The appropriate solution will depend on factors such as:

• the person's mobility and ability to assist
• body dimensions and weight
• clinical condition
• the movement being performed
• the available working space
• the starting and destination surfaces
• any lines, drains or clinical restrictions

Different tasks require different controls

Patient handling is not one activity.

Moving a patient laterally between surfaces differs from turning them in bed, recovering them from the floor or transferring them with a hoist.

A task-based plan may therefore identify different equipment for:

• lateral transfer
• bed boosting
• controlled turning
• hygiene or wound access
• floor recovery
• hoist transfer
• seated transfer

Trying to use one product for every situation may introduce additional handling steps or reduce control over the movement.

Equipment must remain ready for use

WorkSafe Victoria also advises providers to ensure mechanical aids are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions.

In practice, this requires more than an initial purchase.

Facilities should consider:

• where equipment is stored
• whether sufficient quantities are available
• how reusable products are cleaned and returned
• how single-patient-use stock is replenished
• whether accessories are compatible
• how faults are identified
• how maintenance status is communicated
• whether staff are familiar with the equipment

Connect planning, equipment and training

Training remains necessary, but it should reinforce a defined handling plan rather than compensate for the absence of one.

Workers need to know:

• which equipment applies to the task
• how many staff should assist
• how the equipment is used safely
• where it is located
• what to do if it is unavailable

Patient-handling safety is strongest when the care plan, clinical workflow, equipment and staff capability all point to the same method.

The objective is not simply to provide more equipment. It is to provide the right equipment within a system that makes safe use practical and repeatable.