How should residents/patients be evaluated to assign an appropriate lifting device?

The first step is to assess the transfer needs of the patient/resident which should be reassessed if the patient/resident’s condition changes. The assessment should consider the dependency level of the patient/resident, the size of the patient/resident, the patient/resident’s cognitive status, and weight bearing ability. Once the patient/resident’s transferring needs have been assessed, it is critical that the information be communicated to the caregivers responsible for lifting the patient/resident. OSHA and Veterans Health Administration documents contain transfer-specific algorithms to help assess the appropriate transferring needs for the patient/resident.