Commitment to excellence is one of the four core values that drive BrightStar Care Lubbock. For our team that means continuously improvement and taking opportunities to learn best practices from today’s research-based patient care. This month’s training was led by Physical Therapist, Shawna Watts and focused on lifting and transferring patients.
Shawna began her training asking our team to have a patient’s point of view. Shawna played the part of caregiver and our nurses, can’s and therapist played the patient. Individually she wanted our team to feel the control and trust that can be created with proper body control. It was surprising to see how feet and hand placement created a foundation to reduce the chance of injury to the patient and ourselves.
Shawna continued her training by having our team feel their shoulders as they stood up in various positions in the chair. Encouraging our team to take the time position the patient first so that they use the least amount of energy to move.
Step 1: Get patients into a ball so they move easier(see gif).png "ball-and-board-(1).png")
Step 2: Support patients as they turn/roll till they see the floor
Step 2: Position the legs to activate the teeter totter
Our team all agreed that using these tips made moving a patient easier and less strain on the caregiver’s back and more trust from the patient.
During this one-on-one time they were able to ask questions based on situations they have been in like, knee replacement patients and stroke victims with weakness. Shawna was quick to use the same methods with a few adjustments.
This is one of our team’s favorite trainings. The information is sound, applicable and we can change what we are doing and create a higher standard of care for our patients.
If you are interested in learning more about joining BrightStar Care apply here.
Shawna began her training asking our team to have a patient’s point of view. Shawna played the part of caregiver and our nurses, can’s and therapist played the patient. Individually she wanted our team to feel the control and trust that can be created with proper body control. It was surprising to see how feet and hand placement created a foundation to reduce the chance of injury to the patient and ourselves.
Shawna continued her training by having our team feel their shoulders as they stood up in various positions in the chair. Encouraging our team to take the time position the patient first so that they use the least amount of energy to move.
Teeter Totter
Who knew a childhood playground structure applied to patient transfers! Shawna demonstrated using the bodies natural functions to move and transfer patients. Our bodies are a human sized teeter totter and by positioning a patient’s legs the body will move the opposite direction. Watch the video to see Shawna's demonstration of the teeter totter.Ball or Board
What is a patient’s biggest fear when transferring? Falling. Shawna showed our team how to move clients from a laying position to a sitting position by having clients face their fears.Step 1: Get patients into a ball so they move easier(see gif)
Step 2: Support patients as they turn/roll till they see the floor
Step 2: Position the legs to activate the teeter totter
Our team all agreed that using these tips made moving a patient easier and less strain on the caregiver’s back and more trust from the patient.
Bonus Content
Shawna closed with information on working with patients who require memory care. She described how their vision and understanding of language changes and with this knowledge how to communicate and interpret our patient’s actions & word choices. Everyone on the team enjoyed her hand over hand method to relax our patient’s and connect with them immediately.Applying What We Learned
Every team member was required to demonstrate the techniques taught during the training. Shawna flipped the roles and became the patient and had team members demonstrate proper techniques. Team members practiced re-positioning and transferring their ‘patient’ to a wheelchair.During this one-on-one time they were able to ask questions based on situations they have been in like, knee replacement patients and stroke victims with weakness. Shawna was quick to use the same methods with a few adjustments.
This is one of our team’s favorite trainings. The information is sound, applicable and we can change what we are doing and create a higher standard of care for our patients.
If you are interested in learning more about joining BrightStar Care apply here.