MAO Manual

Skill 8 - Stand and Pivot

For this procedure you will need to begin by placing the empty chair at a right angle to the chair the patient is sitting in. Place one foot between your patient’s feet, the other foot should be behind you. Bending your front leg, slide your arms under your patient’s arms and clasp your hands behind his or her back. Instruct the patient to put his/her arms around your neck. Using your front leg, stand the patient up. As you straighten up, shift your weight to your back leg. Now you can turn with the patient to seat him in the empty chair. Take extra caution with this technique. It begins and ends with you bent over the patient. If your patient loses his or her balance, you are in a bad position to protect your back. If your patient appears too large or unsteady to handle, consider another more stable technique and/or additional assistance.