Prevention of Back Injuries for CNAs

It has been noticed that there are several cases of back injuries in the nursing profession. CNAs are prone to back injuries while doing their jobs, and hence need to know the tips on prevention of back injuries to stay healthy and fit for the job.

CNAs come in direct contact with the patients on a regular basis, and many times they have to engage in lifting the patients, or moving the patients from the wheelchair to the bed or vice versa or simply moving the patients to different rooms. In this process, there are high chances of the CNAs getting back injuries. It is necessary that the CNAs follow proper guidelines while lifting the patients and take care not to hurt themselves or the patients. However, lifting the patients is not an easy task and CNAs can injure their back in this process. They need to life the patients in a proper manner in order to avoid any kind of injuries.

CNAs have to always be on their toes while on-the-job, and there are very rare chances that the CNAs may find time to actually sit down and relax. They have to take care of the patients daily and while doing their duties the CNAs may have to bend many times to perform the various chores, they may have to sit in varied positions and at times may also have to lift the patients and help them move around. The patients rely on the CNAs for their daily tasks and for this reason, it is extremely important that the CNAs keep themselves mentally as well as physically very fit. When CNAs are able to manage themselves well, only then they will be able to handle the patients in the proper manner. The patients are sick and require support from the CNAs who need to ensure that they are capable of lending such support to the ailing patients. CNAs thus need to ensure that they are calm and composed at all times as well as physically strong so that they can avoid injuries, especially back injuries.

The mental as well as physical strength of CNAs is put to test while attending the sick patients. Taking care of the patients requires lot of patience and is not at all easy. It has been observed that there are many CNAs who suffer from back injuries in the process of taking care of the patients. It is necessary for the CNAs to take precautions and follow all the correct instructions while lifting or moving the patients. These instructions are taught to the CNAs in the CNA training courses. By following all the given instructions, CNAs can ensure that they are not suffering from back injuries.

While lifting the patients, it is necessary to take into consideration the weights of both the parties, that is, the weight of the patient who is to be lifted and the weight of the CNA who is going to lift the patient. Accordingly, it needs to be decided whether the CNA can and should life the patient. In case the patient is overweight or too heavy in comparison to the CNA, then it is recommended that the CNA takes help of a colleague to lift that patient. This way, the CNA can ensure that there is no harm caused to either of them.

CNAs can take help of a slider board in order to move the patients from one bed to the other. This board can be kept under the patient's body while the other end of this slider board can be kept on the bed where the patient needs to be moved and accordingly the patient can then be slid to the other bed. This way there would be minimum chances of back injuries for the CNAs.

While dealing with patients on wheelchairs, it is recommended for the patient to sit in a straight or upright pose, parallel to the position of a CNA. The CNA can then slide the arms around the patient's waist and bend on the knees to move the patient into the wheelchair. This way, the maximum load will come on the knees and chances of back injuries will be reduced.

Majority of the healthcare facilities nowadays have advanced equipment to help the CNAs lift and move the patients. CNAs need to take precautions while doing their duties and need to follow all the instructions given by senior nurses as well as doctors properly while carrying out their tasks. In case the CNAs are still facing problems or having back injuries, it is recommended that they seek professional help immediately in order to avoid any serious medical problems. In order to take care of the patients, the CNAs first need to take care of themselves and be physically as well as mentally very fit so that they can handle the patients effectively and can enjoy their work.