Transferring an individual from a bed to a wheelchair, a caregiver must be present for this type of transfer.
Pull bed sheet down to the foot end of the bed.
Suggest to the person transferring to face up and move to the edge of the bed where the caregiver is positioned.
The caregiver must place one hand over the knee and the other hand under the outer shoulder of the individual.
Laying down to sitting up on the bed
Start by pivoting the person lying on the bed towards you.
At the end of the transition, the person should be sitting up at the side of the bed with their feet flat on the floor, facing the caregiver.
Instruct the person being transferred to cross their arms over their chest to provide further stability.
Reassess a person’s state of mind
Ensure the individual is in a good state of mind after they are pivoted and seated on the side of the bed.
Continue to the next step on how to transfer a person from a bed to a wheelchair.
Positioning the wheelchair and seating position
At this point, you can help the person put on their shoes so that once they are in the wheelchair, they are ready to ride.
The wheelchair seat should be directly facing the person on the bed.
This should allow the transfer to be smoother once the person is lifted from the bed and into the wheelchair.
Make sure the brakes are engaged before moving on to the next step in the process.
Seatbelt recommended
Caregivers are instructed to place a seat belt on the person’s waist to provide support while lifting the patient out of bed.
These seat belts are called “Transfer Belts,” they can be purchased through Amazon or any similar website.
Double-check wheelchair position
Now would be a good time to double-check the position of the wheelchair before moving on.
Make sure the wheelchair is facing the patient and is positioned the closest distance possible to the patient and the bed.
Sitting straight and forward on the side of the bed
Instruct the individual to position themselves on the side of the bed so that they are facing straight in the direction they are in, instruct them to push their legs and feet together so that when you are in the action of transferring them, you are in a better position to change direction and movement of the person.
Position yourself in front of the patient, and place your predominant foot on the front side of their shoes, to prevent the patient from slipping off the bed while transferring.
One…Two…Three!
The easiest way to prepare the person for the transfer is to count to three (or something similar) for the patient and caregiver to be in-synch while transferring from the bed.
Caregiver Position
The caregiver should place their hands below the patient’s arms, where their underarms are usually, position the left hand on the left underarm and the right hand on the patient’s right underarm.
Once you are in position, instruct the patient to place their hands on the top of your shoulders for them to use your body as support while transferring.
Aligned correctly
Once the caregiver and the patient are positioned as instructed above, you can let them know that you will lift their body and pivot their back towards the seat of the wheelchair.
Transfer Belt and Grip
Now, place your hands on the “transfer belt” placed on the patient’s waist.
If there is no seat belt available, you can place your hands on both sides of the person with enough grip to hold them while transferring them.
Remember always to lift using your back to generate enough support to lift the person’s weight off the bed and pivot them into the seat of the wheelchair.
Please make sure you lift their body to a higher height than the seat of the wheelchair.
This will provide more space for the pivoting action during the transfer.
The direction of the pivot should line up in the same horizontal line as the armrests of the wheelchair.
And that is how you can properly transfer a person out of their bed and into their TOUSDA Wheelchair!
Conclusion
TOUSDA provides unique features on our wheelchairs, allowing individuals to find the perfect wheelchair for them.
If you consistently have to transfer out of bed and into a wheelchair, or from a vehicle to a wheelchair, or any transfer, you should research information to buy a wheelchair that comes standard with flip back armrests or removable armrests.
This should help you and your caregiver to transfer in any situation easily.
This article is an educated way to transfer a person from a bed to a wheelchair for educational purposes only.
TOUSDA is not responsible for any injury that may occur while following these instructions, and they are loosely based on CNA state exams nationwide.
