Body Mechanics
This is the #1 rule of safe body mechanics for nurses.
What is Keep back straight, bend knees, lift with legs?
This position best promotes lung expansion.
What is High Fowler’s (60–90°)?
This is why dangling is important.
What is sitting on the side of the bed before standing → prevents orthostatic hypotension?
A can should be held on this side.
What is the strong/unaffected side?
This is why should you never place a gait belt over an abdominal incision.
What is it can cause pain or disrupt healing?
This is why should nurses avoid twisting while lifting.
What is twisting increases spinal strain and risk of injury.
This is why are pillows/wedges placed under bony prominences.
What is To reduce pressure and prevent skin breakdown?
This tool reduces friction when moving a patient up in bed.
What is a draw sheet/slide sheet.
If a patient has a weak right leg, this is the correct walker sequence.
What is walker → right (weak) leg → left (strong) leg?
Name one early sign of activity intolerance during ambulation.
Dizziness, shortness of breath, tachycardia, abnormal BP.
Adjusting the bed to this level helps protect nurse ergonomics.
What is Waist or elbow height?
A client is post-stroke with left-sided weakness. This is how should you position their affected arm in bed.
What is support it on a pillow to reduce edema and prevent injury.
This is why is logrolling necessary for patients with spinal injuries.
What is it maintains spinal alignment and prevents twisting?
This crutch gait allows partial weight-bearing on both legs.
What is 2-point gait.
This is why must wheelchairs be locked before transfer.
What is it prevents rolling and falls?
These long-term complications can result from poor body mechanics.
What is Chronic back pain, musculoskeletal injuries, lost work time?
This is the main advantage of Sims’ position.
What is it helps with drainage of oral secretions and reduces aspiration risk?
During a bed-to-chair transfer, what must the nurse always do before moving the patient
Lock the bed/wheelchair and use gait belt.
This is the first thing a nurse should do if a client becomes unstable while ambulating with a walker.
What is use gait belt to support, assist to chair/floor safely?
This is the nurse’s priority if a patient starts falling.
What is control descent, protect the head, lower patient safely to floor?
This is the benefit of keeping the object close to your body while lifting.
What is it decreases strain on back and improves leverage?
This is why is it important to turn and reposition patients every 2 hours.
What is it prevents pressure ulcers, promotes circulation, and improves comfort?
A patient becomes lightheaded while standing during transfer. What should the nurse do first?
Lower the patient safely back to the bed/chair, assess vitals, ensure safety.
This is how should crutches be fitted to prevent nerve injury.
What is 2–3 finger widths between axilla and crutch pad; weight on hands, not axilla?
Name 3 communication strategies to improve patient safety during mobility.
Explain steps before moving, use clear commands, check patient understanding, encourage patient to report dizziness or weakness.