Environmental Health & Safety
Techniques for Safe Evacuation of Patients
If you are responsible for patient care you are expected to assist in the safe evacuation of the patient. If the patient is to be evacuated you may use one the following techniques for removing limited mobility patients.
For one-person carries:
- Cradle Drop
- Fold a blanket in half length-wise and place it on the floor beside the bed.
- Slide one arm under the patient's neck and shoulder and the other under the patient's back.
- Pull the patient to the end of the bed, drop down to one knee and lower the patient so that your knee supports the patient's back.
- Let the patient slide gently to the blanket and pull the patient headfirst from the room.
For two-person carries:
- Swing Carry
- The first person raises the patient to a sitting position at the edge of the bed and places one arm behind the patient's shoulder and the other arm under the patient's knee.
- The second person places one arm behind the patient and grasps the first person's shoulder, then places his/her other arm under the patient's knees and grasps the first person's wrist.
- The patient sits on the rescuers' clasped hands and wrists and leans back against their arms.
- The Extremity Carry
- The first person raises the patient to a sitting postion; then, from behind, reaches under the patient's armpits and grasps his/her own wrists in front of the patient's chest.
- The second person moves between the patient's legs with his/her back to the patient and encircles the patient's legs at the knees with each arm.
- The first person hugs and lifts while the second carries the patient's legs and the patient is moved feet first.
For pictures demonstrating these carries, see the following pdf file:
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?
Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.
This page last updated 10/12/2011. Disclaimer.
