Nursing & Healthcare Programs

Performing the Heimlich Maneuver

Written by Amanda R. McDaniel, MS, BSN, RN
Amanda is a BSN/RN with a MS in Physiology and a BA in English. She worked as a medical writer in the pharmaceutical industry for 11 years before pursuing a career in nursing. She now works as a nurse on a NeuroTelemetry unit and continues to write and edit on a freelance basis. Amanda’s LinkedIn

The Heimlich Maneuver, also known as abdominal thrusts, is used to remove an object that is blocking a resident’s airway and preventing air from reaching the lungs. It only takes four to six minutes for brain damage to occur from lack of oxygen, so prompt action is vital.

How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver

  1. Ask the resident if he can speak.
    • If he can speak and is coughing, do not proceed. Monitor the resident.
    • If he is unable to speak or becomes unable to speak, go to step two.
  2. If the resident is sitting or standing:
    • Move behind him, kneel if necessary (e.g., to help a child).
    • Wrap your arms around the resident’s waist.
    • Make a fist with your thumb toward the resident and place it just above the resident’s navel.
    • Grasp your fist with your other hand.
    • Make forceful, quick, inward and upward thrusts with your fist until the object dislodges, and the resident can breathe.
  3. If the resident is lying down:
    • Turn him onto his back.
    • Straddle him, facing his head.
    • Make a fist with one hand and place it just above the resident’s navel.
    • Grasp your fist with the other hand.
    • Make forceful, quick, inward and upward (toward head) thrusts until the object dislodges, and the resident can breathe.
  4. Notify the nurse and continue to monitor the resident per institution or unit protocol.

Reference

Heller, J.L. (2015, April). Abdominal thrusts. MedlinePlus. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000047.htm

More Resources

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Applying Restraints

Restraints have very strict guidelines for use due to the number of complications that can result. Use of restraints is associated with increased physical and psychosocial health issues. Restraints are only considered necessary when restraint-free alternatives have failed and the patient or others are at risk of harm without the restraints. It is illegal to use restraints for the staff’s convenience or to punish the patient.

Moving the Resident from a Bed to a Stretcher or Gurney

Moving a patient from a bed to a stretcher can pose huge safety risks to both the patient and to the health care workers completing the transfer. Always use the appropriate amount of people to complete a transfer, which may vary according to the patient’s weight and/or the facility’s policy. In some cases, a mechanical lift may be needed.

Feeding the Patient

Not all patients will need help feeding themselves. Some patients will only need assistance opening cartons or cutting their food. To promote independence, always let the patient do as much as he or she can before assisting. It is vitally important that the nurse’s aide verifies that the patient receives the correct meal tray. Patients may have special diets that play a critical role in their health (i.e., pureed diet, gluten-free diet, food allergies, etc.). Feeding the wrong food to the wrong patient could result in serious complications.

Applying a Condom Catheter

Condom catheters are used for men who are incontinent. These catheters are external and are meant to be used short-term and changed daily.

Assisting the Resident to Transfer from the Bed to a Chair or Wheelchair

It is important to remember on which side to place the chair when assisting a patient in transferring. Putting the chair on the resident’s unaffected side allows the resident to lead with his or her strong extremity. This eases the procedure for the resident and reduces the risk of falling.