Transfer

Transfer items usually hand you a one-sided weakness or a fresh hip/knee replacement and ask which way the client moves. The rule: lead with the strong side — position the chair or wheelchair on the client’s unaffected side so the strong leg bears weight first, and for a sit-to-stand have them push off the bed or armrests with the strong arm (never pull on you). The classic trap is pivoting on a surgically repaired or hemiparetic leg; the tested answer also locks wheelchair brakes, lowers the bed, and keeps the client’s feet flat before the move. After a posterior-approach total hip replacement, honor the no-hip-flexion-past-90° rule when transferring to low or soft seating.

Don’t blur the related terms: transfer moves the client between surfaces (bed to chair), ambulation is walking, and mobility is the broad capacity to control body position. Both transfer and ambulation start with the dangle-then-assess-for-orthostatic-hypotension step, and ambulation additionally needs a clear, unobstructed walking path. Memory hook: “strong side leads, weak side follows.”