Lifting and Moving

Casualties

Objectives

R. Suhartono

Define body mechanics

Discuss the guidelines and safety lifting patient.
Describe the indications for an emergency move
and non emergency move.
Discuss the various devices associated with
moving a patient in the out of hospital arena.

Body Mechanics

Basic Principles: Lifting, Carrying, Moving,

Reaching, Pushing and Pulling.
Do it correctly. If you dont do it well your
self injury, strain, and life long pain. It refers to
the safest and most efficient methods of using
your body to gain a mechanical advantage.

It includes :
Use your legs to lift, not your back.
Keep the weight of the object as close to your
body as possible.
Stack (your shoulders stacked on top of your
feet move as a unit )
Reduce the height or distance you need to
move the object.

The Power Lift

In an emergency, teamwork is essential.

All members should be trained in the proper
techniques.
Ideally, partners in lifting and moving should
have adequate and equal strength and height.
Respect each other & make a communication
well & frequently.

The power lift is a technique that offers you the

best defense against injury. It protects the
patients also.
Remember !!
- Keep your back locked;
- Avoid bending the waist.

Follow the steps:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Place your feet a comfortable distance apart

(usually about shoulder width)
Turn your feet slightly outward.
Bend your knees to bring your center of gravity
closer to object.
Tighten the muscles of your back and
abdomen to splint the vulnerable lower back.
Keep your feet flat with your weight evently
distributed and just forward of the heels.

6.

7.
8.

9.

Posture and Fitness

Posture is a much overlooked part of body.
Be aware :
While standing:
Ears, Shoulders and Hips in vertical
alignment.
Knees slightly bent
Pelvis slightly tucked forward.

Place your hands a comfortable distance from

each other to provide balance to the object as
it lifted.
Always use a power grip to get maximum force
from your hands.
As lifting begins, your back should remain
locked as the force is driven through the heels
and arches of your feet.
Reverse these steps to lower the object

While sitting:
distributed on both ischia
shoulders, hips in vertical alignment
Feet flat on the floor or crossed at the
weight
Ears,

ankles
Finally, proper body mechanics will not protect
you if you are not physically fit.

Principles of Moving Patients

Emergency Moves

Top Priority : Air way

Breathing
Circulation

Unstable/ pose an immediate threat move the

patient first.

No threat to life provide emergency

medical care; wait for the EMTs to move the
patients.
When there is an immediate danger to the
patient Emergency move.
Examples:
1.
2.

Fire or threat of fire.

Explosion or the threat of explosion

Inability to protect the patient from other

hazards at the scene.
Inability to gain access to other patients who
need lifelife-saving care.
When lifelife-saving care cannot be given because
of the patients location or position.

3.

4.

5.

Non Emergency Move

The greatest danger in an emergency move is the

possibility of making a spine injury worse pull
the patient in the direction of the long axis of
the body.
The kind of emergency move:
1. Shirt drag
2. Blanked drag
3. Shoulder or forearm

Non Emergency Move

Extremety Lift

2.

1. Direct Ground lift :

Requires 2 or 3 rescuers
Its dificult to move if the body weight of the
patient > 80 kg.
Dont do it if there was a posibility of making
cervical injury.

Equipment

Positioning the patient

Position apatient depends on the patients

condition. General guidelines :
An unresponsive patient who is not injured in the
recovery position.
A patient who shows signs of shock.
A patient who cant move by injured.
A patient who has pain or breathing problems.
A responsive patient who is nauseated or vomiting,
should be allowed to remain in a position of
comfort.

Use this lift to move an unresponsive patient from

a chair to the floor
Requires 2 resquers to perform this lift

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Stretchers
Portable ambulance stretcher
Scoop or orthopedic stretchers
Long spine board
Backboards

Thank you