Hi, and welcome to our caregiver training series. I’m Nick and I’m one of the team members here at myCNAjobs. Today we’re going to be talking about proper technique for turning a patient in bed. Turning a patient every few hours is important as it helps keep the blood flowing and prevents them from developing bedsores. Turning a patient is also a good time to check their skin for sores and redness.
First, explain to the patient what you are getting ready to do so they are aware of what to expect. If the patient is able to help, encourage them to do so. Stand on the side of the patient they will be turning towards and lower the guard rail. Ask the patient to look towards you, as this will be the direction they’ll turn. If the bed is adjustable, raise it to a level that reduces back strain for you and make sure the bed is flat.
Make sure the patient is positioned in the center of the bed so they aren’t at risk of rolling off the bed entirely. Make sure the patient’s bottom arm is stretched towards you and place their top arm across their chest. Cross their upper ankle over their bottom ankle.
Next, get as close to the patient as you can and place one of your hands on the patient’s shoulder and your other hand on the patient’s hip. Position yourself with one foot in front of the other, and shift your weight to your front foot as you gently pull the patient’s shoulder towards you. Then, shift your weight to your back foot as you gently pull the person’s hip towards you. You may have to repeatedly adjust their shoulder then hip forward until you get the patient into the best position.
Once they are turned, make sure the patient’s ankles, knees, and elbows are not resting on top of each other. You may want to place a pillow between the patient’s legs to prevent this and help keep them comfortable. Make sure their head and neck are in line with their spine, and not stretched backwards, forwards, or to the side. Return the bed to a comfortable position and raise the guard rail back to position. Communicate with your patient to be sure they are comfortable before you leave.
That’s all for this lesson. If you’re looking for a Caregiver or CNA job near you, you can visit www.myCNAjobs.com. Or, if you’d prefer, you can call to speak directly with a recruiter at 773-270-3899. That’s 773-270-3899 - we have CNA and caregiver jobs available across the nation so chances are there’s a job near you.
