1. Safety SAFETY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRINICPLE OF CARE

2. Using Good Body Mechanics Use broad base of support. Keep object or person close to you. Keep upper body erect (straight). Lift smoothly Do not lift and twist Bend at the knees, not with your back.

3. Promoting Safety Remove clutter Wipe up spills Check temperature of food and bath water Make sure that the call signal is within reach Make sure that your resident’s glasses and hearing aid are within reach Make sure the bed is in the lowest position before leaving the resident.

4. Using Brakes – Lock them for Safety Brakes are parts that prevent anything with wheels from rolling. They are on: Beds Wheelchairs Shower chairs Carts

5. Incident: Something Unusual Your incident report to your charge nurse should say: What Where Who Why How When

6. Using Equipment Safety Check your resident’s personal items to make sure that they are working properly: Canes Walkers Shavers Small appliances

7. Restraints Patient Right: Freedom from Restraints A restraint prevents a person’s free movement. Restraints cannot be used for convenience or discipline. If restraints are medically needed, it requires a doctor’s order. Two types: physical and chemical

8. Physical Restraints Physical restraints can: cause bodily injury cause a person to lose his dignity decrease independence.

9. Chemical Restraint Chemical restraints are drugs used to control or change a person’s mood or behavior.

10. Using Bed Side Rails When used improperly, they can be a restraint. Entrapment can occur when a person is caught between the rails of the bed. More people are injured when bedrails are up rather than down.

11. Check the care plan to see if bedrails should be up or down. When should they be up? Bed is elevated (raised) When you are rolling the patient away from you and you are alone Documented on care plan

13. Fire Safety R – Rescue A – Alarm C – Contain E – Evacuate

14. RACE Rescue people in immediate danger Alarm- sound the nearest fire alarm Contain: keep the fire in one spot (close doors) Evacuate: remove people from the building

15. Use water or not? Do NOT use water for: Grease fires Electrical fires Use water for: Paper fires Cloth fires

16. Heimlich Maneuver Procedure used when someone is choking. If person can talk or has a strong cough, they are NOT choking

17. Using A Fire Extinguisher Pull the pin Aim low Squeeze the lever above the handle Sweep from side to side

18. SOURCES Google Images American Red Cross Nursing Assistant Training Book (Some passages taken directly from this book).