Transferring a Patient from the Bed to a Stretcher

Transferring a Patient From the Bed to a Stretcher

Goal: The patient is transferred without injury to patient or nurse.

1. Review the medical record and nursing plan of care for conditions that may influence the patient’s ability to move or to be positioned. Assess for tubes, IV lines, incisions, or equipment that may alter the positioning procedure. Identify any movement limitations. Consult patient-handling algorithm, if available, to plan appropriate approach to moving the patient.

2. Identify the patient. Explain the procedure to the patient.

3. Perform hand hygiene and put on gloves, if necessary.

4. Close the room door or curtains. Adjust the head of the bed to a flat position or as low as the patient can tolerate. Raise the bed to a height ½" higher than the transport stretcher. Lower the side rails, if in place.

5. Place the bath blanket over the patient and remove the top covers from underneath.

6. If a friction-reducing sheet or drawsheet is not in place under the patient, place one under the patient’s midsection. Have patient fold arms against chest and move chin to chest. Use the drawsheet to move the patient to the side of the bed where the stretcher will be placed.

7. Position the stretcher next to and parallel to the bed. Lock the wheels on the stretcher and the bed.

8. Remove the pillow from the bed and place it on the stretcher. The two nurses should stand on the stretcher side of the bed. The third nurse should stand on the side of the bed without the stretcher.

9. Position the transfer board or other lateral-assist device under the patient. Use the drawsheet to roll the patient away from the stretcher. Slide the transfer board across the space between the stretcher and the bed, partially under the patient.Roll the patient onto his back, so he is partially on transfer board.

10. The nurse on the side of the bed without the stretcher should kneel on the bed, with his or her knee at the upper torso closer to the patient than the other knee. Fold or bunch the drawsheet close to the patient before grasping it securely in preparation for the transfer.

11. Have one of the nurses on the stretcher side of the bed reach across the stretcher and grasp the drawsheet at the head and chest areas of the patient. If the transfer device used has long handles, each nurse should grasp two of the handles.

12. Have the other nurse reach across the stretcher and grasp the drawsheet at the patient’s waist and thigh area.

13. At a signal given by one of the nurses, have the nurses standing on the stretcher side of the bed pull the sheet. At the same time, the nurse (or nurses) kneeling on the bed should lift the drawsheet, transferring the patient’s weight toward the transfer board, and pushing the patient from the bed to the stretcher.

14. Once the patient is transferred to the stretcher, remove the transfer board, and secure the patient until the side rails are raised. Raise the side rails. Ensure the patient’s comfort. Cover the patient with blanket and remove the bath blanket from underneath. Leave the friction-reducing sheet or drawsheet in place for the return transfer.

15. Remove gloves (if used) and perform hand hygiene.