14 CARE OF PATIENT IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOGRAPHY

MOVING CHAIR AND STRETCHER PATIENTS

If the patient is fully mobile getting him on to the X-ray table will
present little difficulty, once an explanation has been given of what is
required. It will be necessary to give him only such assistance as makes
certain that he is in fact able to get on the X-ray table, that he does not
fall off the step or the table while he is doing

it,
and that he does not
knock himself on any overhanging parts of the apparatus. must be

It
remembered that the X-ray room and its equipment are strange to him,
and in his concentration on trying to do what he told and lie down on

is
the X-ray table, the patient can completely fail to notice the presence of
the tube just above him, though to us this
X-ray very obvious. wise

It
is

is
therefore to draw his attention to any hazards of this nature which
exist.
in wheel-chair he will require more
If

the patient assistance, the

is

amount depending on the degree of co-operation he can give. The chair

it,
should be brought close to the X-ray table and parallel to the patient
facing towards the end of the X-ray table at which designed to put

it
is
his feet when he lies down.
In controlling the wheel-chair itself there are two points to watch;
from

(ii)
that does not slide away the patient as he rises, and that he
it
(i)

by

does not tip the whole thing forwards standing on the foot-rest. In
some chairs the foot-rest can be slid underneath so that impossible for
it
is

the patient to stand on and he puts his feet on the floor on rising; in
it

such chair the foot-rest must be put away before the patient begins to
a

get up. Others are designed to have stability so that even with someone
standing on the foot-rest the chair does not tip.
Probably the patient will be able to rise with help and transfer himself
of the chair or
If

to the X-ray table. the wheels can be locked an assistant

available brake, the radiographer may face the patient, ask
to act as
is

him to put both hands on her shoulders, and with both her own hands
under his armpits assist him to rise.
If

alone and required to act as brake on the chair, the radiographer

a

of the chair (the side furthest from the X-ray table)

must stand to one side
and place foot behind one wheel. The patient then best helped by the
is
a

radiographer putting one arm along the back of the chair, and the other
hand and arm under the patient's armpit. Once the patient on his feet
is

he should be turned so that his back towards the X-ray table he should
is

the chair has been properly placed

if

be close up against at this stage

it

initially. He can then mount backwards on to the step, assisted by the