What Should You Know About Safe Transfer?

Patient transfer is a common occurrence in a healthcare institution. It may sound unimportant but you should understand that it is crucial. It is because the most unfortunate events can happen during this time especially with the absence of safety measures.

Every year in the United States, accidents occur numerous times due to unsafe transfers. This leads to unwanted injuries, increased medical costs, forfeit of jobs, and loss of life in a rare unfortunate case. That is why we have laid out these facts about patient safe transfer.

1. What is safe transfer?

A safe transfer is an act of transferring a patient using techniques and safety precautions. This, in turn, significantly increases the chance to protect both the patient and the healthcare provider. Some techniques and precautions can enable this such as lifting techniques, bed to stretcher transfer, bed to wheelchair transfer, and proper use of devices for transfer.

2. Why is safe transfer important?

There have been reports that accidents have occurred multiple times during a transfer. A large majority of those accidents were caused by unsafe transfer practices. The injuries as a result of these unfortunate events can be a simple scratch to a fatal injury, as fall is the main reason for most of the harm.

It is not only the patient who suffers when a transfer goes wrong, the healthcare provider will too. Healthcare providers can be injured due to improper lifting and inaccurate assessment of weight to strength which can cause musculoskeletal disorders, financial burden, damage or loss of equipment, loss of job, and in extreme cases, death.

3. What are factors to consider when transferring a patient?

Communication and preparation are the two most important factors to consider. Having a clear communication with your patient can gain his or her cooperation to help make a transfer that’s safe for both of you.

Providing care is already a demanding job to most healthcare providers and even to the patients themselves. While healthcare providers ensure the safety of the patient first, it’s also important that they take safety measures to protect themselves as well in performing their tasks. GooZam Grow, an e-Learning platform, equips you with the right knowledge and skills to do your job safely. Register you agency now.