Moving and Handling Hsc Essay Example

impact of specific conditions on the correct movement & positioning of an individual There are many underlying conditions which can affect the moving and handling of an individual. Here are a few examples. Parkinson’s disease can cause a sufferer to experience limb rigidity that will most likely affect their normal movement and positioning. When assessing an individual to sit or lie in a comfortable position it is imperative that you do not force the rigid limb to move beyond its capability as you may cause damage or unnecessary discomfort to the individual.

It is important to give a person who is suffering from Parkinson’s the time and initiate movement and not to rush them as people suffering from Parkinson’s will usually have a slower reaction time. When moving and handling an individual who is unable to verbally communicate you should remember to look for signs of non-verbal signs of pain. Strokes have a very detrimental effect on the body and can cause temporary or long term weakness down one side of the body.

When moving an individual who has suffered a stroke it is important to be aware of which parts of the body have been affected by the stroke and to what extent. People who suffer from arthritis will often have very stiff painful joints and may also have very limited movement in the areas which have been affected. You should always take care when moving and handling an individual who is suffering from arthritis to reduce to possibility of causes pain, discomfort or even damage.

You should not try to move an arthritis sufferers joints beyond their capabilities as you

could cause potential long term damage. Describe how current legislation & agreed ways of working affect working practices related to mov & positioning individuals Each time a carer supports or moves the weight of a client they are moving and handling and government statistics show that almost 50% of accidents reported are due to poor manual handling techniques.

This is why the government have introduced legislation to protect both staff an client from injury. The HSAWA 1974 ensure that there is a legal requirement for employers to ensure that the health safety and welfare of their employees is maintained and to also ensure that employees understand that they have a duty to take reasonable care of the health, safety and welcome of themselves and others. The MHOR 1992 (amended 2002) was initiated on the 2st Jan 1993 and covers moving anf handling in the workplace.

The regulations chosen impose duties on the self-employed, employers and employees also. This regulation outlines what both the employee and employers must do to ensure they attempt to eliminate all hazards and if not possible they assess the risks and reduce the risks in order to work safely when moving and handling loads as much as reasonably practical. Employees are expected to follow work systems set out by the employer in order to protect themselves and others from potential harm.

Currently legislation also protects employees from lifting loads which could cause the employee potential physical harm. It also outlines that the employee have a duty to ensure that if they are supporting an individual to move you ensure you maintain the responsibility of protecting the person in

which is being moved. Every workplace has difference policies in relation to moving and handling, however they will all support the current government legislation.

Our home have written policies on how to we should move and reposition an individual to prevent pressure areas or to support a client with their personal care needs but there will be agreed ways of working specified in how to do this, this is in our barchester policies but will also be specified in the clients Care Plan. We have a written, moving and handling policy within our organisation outlines what is acceptable and what is unacceptable with regards to moving and handling.

Once a year each employee but attend a moving and handling knowledge and practical refresher session to ensure we are safe to work and are up to date on all moving and handling procedures. It is our responsibility to ensure we comply with these policies to protect ourselves and others. Describe what H & S Factors that need to be taken into account when mov & positioning individuals . & any equipment used to do this Before moving and positioning an individual you need to take the following factors into account and plan what it is exactly you are going to do:

The activity - You should plan the manoeuvre carefully by looking at what activity are you supporting the individual with? Will you be helping them to stand, walk, roll or turn? If supporting somebody to use the toilet how far will you need to go and will you need the support of a second carer and how long is the activity going

to take? You should look at the environment and identify any potential hazards you may face. You should assess if there are any obstructions or obstacles which could cause you or the client to trip?

Is the floor surface safe and level, dry and free from any obstacles should as cables or bric a brac? And finally do you have enough space for you to perform the activity? You should consider how the person who is being moved or positioned feels about the process and you should ask yourself, can the client do it for themselves? How much support will you be required to give? Are you able to, and can you support the individual to maintain independence whilst completing the activity.

Is there any medical equipment which needs to be considered before moving the individual such as IV lines or catheters? Has the person ever experienced this activity before? And importantly what is the person’s height and weight? Is it safe for both parties to complete the task based on this. You also need to ensure that the individual is a suitable candidate to be supported in this way, and if you are working in a team, is it safe for others to support you with the activity. Have all employees got training and experience in completing this task?

Are you physically well enough to complete this task? Is your footwear appropriate i. e. are they well-fitting and supportive? Are you wearing clothes which are suitable when performing moving and handling procedures? You may require the use of moving and handling aids and equipment such as hoists, stand aids and slide

sheets. You should ensure you are trained to use this equipment and that it is of full working capacity and safe to use, Functional skills By using incorrect moving and handling techniques one might put residents at risk.

This can happen when residents are moved into:

• Chairs- they may be unable to get out of it . The seat surface, covering or padding may cause uneven distribution
• Wheelchairs which may be ill-fitting, causing pressure. Skin may be damaged on contact with protrusions such as footplates.
• Beds Confinement to bed can make the resident unable to alter position in bed.
• When using glide sheets, this can make Skin contact when the sheet is placed, fabric may crumple against skin, feet and/or arms may be dragged as buttocks move.

Describe what sources of information are available about mov & positioning individuals With the consent of the individual or Nurse In Charge I gain information regarding the moving and handling of an individual via their care plans which also contain Moving and Handling Risk Assessments. Barchester has a set of moving and handling policies and procedures which are readily available in our Units office for all staff to access.

As mentioned previously, each year each member of staff is contractually required to take part in a moving and handling refresher and to demonstrate competence in this area which is assessed by a home trainer who will have a wealth of knowledge on this subject should we need further clarification. If I want further information I can download a multitude of documents from the HSE website which provides

information for both employers and employees rights and responsibilities. The site also includes information regarding the MHOR 1992 and suggests how we can apply these laws to our work settings whilst meeting the needs of people.