Deck 8: Transferring Dependent Patients

Question 1

Describe the Trendelenburg position.

Answer 1

When the bed is positioned with the foot of the bed higher than the head or with the head of the bed lower than the foot of the bed.

Question 2

Your patient is a 48-year-old woman who fractured her pelvis when she fell off a porch. You have been using a sit-to-stand lift to transfer her between the bed and the chair. You would like to work with her on standing tolerance. Which of the following would be your best option for accomplishing this goal?

A) Enlist the assistance of another clinician to help you block the patient's knees while the patient maintains a standing position for increasing lengths of time.
B) Have the patient sit at the edge of the bed and encourage her to push to standing while you block her knees for stability.
C) Transfer her to standing in the sit-to-stand lift and work on standing tolerance in the device.
D) Wait until she can transfer out of bed independently and then work on standing tolerance with a walker.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is most strongly related to injuries sustained when assisting patients?

A) The age and weight of the person completing the transfer
B) The diagnosis of the patient being transferred
C) The number of repetitions of the task completed by the person
D) Unexpected changes in the patient's position during the transfer

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Your patient is an 88-year-old man who underwent left total hip arthroplasty (using a posterior approach) 3 weeks ago because of severe joint degeneration. After his surgery he developed pneumonia. He is recovering and does not have weight-bearing restrictions, but he continues to demonstrate generalized weakness. You are going to transfer him from the bed to a bedside chair using a total body lift. Which of the following is the best method for positioning the lift sling underneath him?

A) Ask the patient to use both legs to bridge the hips with assistance as necessary while you slide the sling under him.
B) Ask the patient to lean forward into long-sitting and then place the sling behind his back.
C) Ask the patient to roll onto his left side, place the sling under his hips, and have him roll back into supine.
D) Ask the patient to roll onto his right side, place the sling under his hips, and have him roll back into supine.

Question 5

Which of the following statements regarding the use of lateral transfer devices for supine patient transfers is true?

A) During lateral transfers, the patient typically slides across the transfer device.
B) Most lateral transfer devices rely on pulling forces rather than on pushing forces.
C) Shearing on the skin is an unavoidable consequence of a dependent lateral transfer.
D) All lateral transfer devices require the assistance of four people.

Question 6

You are performing a lateral transfer of your patient from the bed to a stretcher in the ICU. No one is available to assist you with the transfer, but you do have an air cushion transfer device. Where should you position yourself for the safest transfer once the device is in place?

A) At the foot of the device so that you can have maximum control of it
B) At the head of the device so you can protect the patient's head
C) On the far side of the stretcher, positioned at the patient's trunk
D) Beside the bed, positioned at the patient's trunk

Question 7

Which of the following maneuvers is considered to be the most physically stressful to the caregiver?

A) Transferring a patient from bathtub to chair
B) Transferring a patient from bed to chair
C) Transferring a patient from chair to bed
D) Transferring a patient from chair to toilet

Question 8

You are a therapist working in home health care. Your patient is a 23-year-old man who recently sustained a spinal cord injury resulting in complete paralysis below the level of his upper chest. His family is having significant difficulty transferring him between the bed and the chair. Which of the following should you primarily consider when making recommendations to his family about transfer methods?

A) The age of the persons assisting the patient with the transfer
B) The amount of help the patient requires for the transfer
C) The height of the surfaces involved in the transfers
D) The number of steps leading into the house

Question 9

Your patient is a 47-year-old man with good upper-body strength and poor lower-extremity strength. He weighs 385 lbs. and has just had surgery to repair a fractured left ankle. He also has a groin wound that requires wound care. He is currently nonweight-bearing on the left lower extremity and needs to get out of the bed for wound care. Which of the following is the most appropriate response regarding this patient's transfer?

A) Borrow a lift that is rated for 400 lbs. from the acute care unit and complete the transfer by yourself.
B) Defer the transfer because you do not have the appropriate equipment and do the wound care with the patient remaining in the bed.
C) Use the lift you have in your department that has a weight limit of 350 lbs. and get an aide to help you.
D) Obtain the assistance of two or three other people and assist the patient in performing a lateral transfer using a bariatric transfer board.

Question 10

Which of the following patients would be the best candidate for use of a sit-to-stand lift?

A) A 49-year-old man with multiple leg fractures and a full-leg cast
B) A 57-year-old woman who is able to comply with her right lower-extremity partial weight-bearing restriction
C) A 62-year-old woman who has had a stroke and requires maximum assistance to maintain static sitting balance
D) A 73-year-old man with severe dementia

Question 11

Which of the following positions creates the greatest risk of injury to the clinician during a lateral supine transfer requiring the assistance of two or more people?

A) Standing at the patient's feet with nothing obstructing the lateral movement
B) Standing at the patient's head with nothing obstructing the lateral movement
C) Standing beside the patient and leaning forward as the patient is moved laterally
D) Standing beside the patient and moving onto the transfer surface as the patient is moved laterally

Question 12

You have transferred a patient out of bed using a total body lift with a sling. You have positioned the patient in a bedside chair and plan to return in 1 hr to assist the patient back into bed. Which of the following choices is the best way to manage the sling upon the completion of this transfer?

A) Leave the sling under the patient, making sure to eliminate any wrinkles in the sling.
B) Place a sheet between the patient and the sling so you can keep the patient dry.
C) Place a sheet in the chair so you can use it to transfer the patient back into bed.
D) Remove the sling and replace it when you return to transfer the patient back into bed.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of a sit-to-stand lift?

A) The sit-to-stand lift equipment does not include a foot plate.
B) The sling for the sit-to-stand lift supports only the upper body.
C) The sling for the sit-to-stand lift supports only the lower body.
D) The sling for the sit-to-stand lift is typically applied with the patient in a supine position.

Question 14

Which of the following items is generally not advised for repositioning of the seated patient?

A) Friction-reducing sheet
B) Sit-to-stand lift
C) Rigid transfer board
D) Total body lift

Question 15

Which of the following is involved in the setup for a sit-to-stand lift transfer?

A) The anterior aspects of the patient's lower legs are placed in contact with the leg pads.
B) The lower seam of the sling is placed at the patient's gluteal fold.
C) The patient places both hands in his or her lap to avoid injury during the lift.
D) The patient's knees are positioned in approximately 45° flexion.

Question 16

When transferring a supine patient using a lateral transfer device, which of the following maneuvers should always be avoided?

A) Lifting a patient with the device
B) Performing the transfer by yourself
C) Transferring between slightly uneven surfaces
D) Transferring patients heavier than 300 lbs.

Question 17

You are about to transfer a patient who weighs 348 lbs. from the bed to a gurney. Which of the following is the most appropriate method of transferring this patient?

A) Securing the assistance of one additional person and moving the patient laterally in one swift motion
B) Securing the assistance of two additional people and moving the patient laterally in one swift motion
C) Securing the assistance of two additional people and moving the patient laterally in a series of small motions
D) Securing the assistance of three additional people and moving the patient in two motions
Short Answer

Question 18

Which of the following is appropriate when repositioning a patient who has slid down toward the foot of the bed?

A) Lowering the overall height of the bed before repositioning the patient
B) Elevating the head of the bed 30° prior to repositioning the patient
C) Positioning yourself at the head of the bed, grasping the top edge of the draw sheet, and pulling the patient up
D) Positioning yourself beside the bed in a semilunge stance

Question 19

Which of the following lateral transfer devices is particularly well-suited for use with patients with integumentary problems?

A) Air-assisted devices
B) Patient rollers
C) Semirigid transfer boards
D) Slippery sheets

Question 20

Which of the following patient situations is the best indication for a zero-lift transfer?

A) The patient requires a level 3 transfer that does not involve a teaching component.
B) The patient requires level 0 transfer assistance and has lower-extremity weight-bearing restrictions.
C) The patient requires level 1 transfer assistance because of occasional loss of balance.
D) The patient requires level 1 transfer assistance and weighs more than 250 lbs.

Question 21

List three things you must consider when positioning a sling for a dependent transfer.

Question 22

The use of friction-reducing devices to perform lateral patient transfers is recommended because it eliminates the risk of injury to the clinician performing the transfer.

Question 23

"Super obesity" is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m².

Question 24

________________is the branch of medicine concerned with the management of obesity and allied illnesses.