A nurse is educating a group of student nurses about proper body mechanics to prevent injury to the nurse. Which of the following would the nurse include in her teaching?
hold weight as close to the body as possible when carrying something heavy
when pulling a client up in bed, position the bed as low as possible to the floor
try to lift clients with only one nurse to assist to avoid taking too many nurses off the floor
Number 2 is correct.
Rationale: When carrying heavy objects, the weight should be held as close to the body as possible to avoid back strain. When bending over to pick something up, the nurse should bend her knees to avoid back injury. When pulling clients up in bed, the bed should be at a comfortable height so that no one has to bend over to lift the client. Safety is a priority, and the nurse should utilize as many nurses as needed for safe lifting. Whenever possible, mechanical lift devices should be used to minimize back strain for the nurse and ensure client safety.
