Patient transfer slings are a common product used in hospitals to help you move from one place to another safely and comfortably when used with a patient lift. The slings support your weight and provide stability, making the transfer process easy and safe. It's patient- and healthcare worker-friendly.
This article will provide you with the information you need about slings to help you find the one that suits you best.
1. Meet the Patient Transfer Sling
A patient transfer sling is a type of sling that allows the patient to move from one position to another by means of a lifting system. Commonly used, for example, to move a patient from one bed to another, or to move a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, or even to pick someone up off the floor!
2. Main application areas of patient transfer slings
Patient transfer slings are mainly used in three places: hospitals, home care and elderly care.
3. What does the patient transfer sling contain?
Including full-body slings, split-leg slings, net slings, sit-to-stand assisted slings, etc. Next, we will bring you the detailed introduction of patient transfer slings.
(1) Sit to stand assist sling.
The patient sit-to-stand assist sling is a sling used in conjunction with a sit-to-stand lift to support the patient's middle and lower body and to assist the patient during the lift. It is suitable for patients who are able to stand (preferably with the patient being able to bear their own weight).
These slings can be used for bed, chair and toilet transfers.
Advantages of the sit to stand assist sling
l The non-slip sling is widened to provide full lumbar and back support for patient safety and comfort.
l Made of ultra-high strength fabric, webbing and sewing thread for durability and reliable and safe support for patients with limited mobility.
l Made of functional fabric that can be washed and sterilized multiple times at 80 degrees.
Sit to stand assist sling disadvantages
l Not very compatible, cannot be used with other lifts
Padded patient sit to stand assist sling
(2) Solid Full Body Sling
The Solid Full Body Sling supports the patient's entire body, with the part below the knee hanging outside the sling and the arm inside the sling. These slings are usually designed with a higher back to provide support for the head. Most slings of this type are universal and can be used with a lift to get to and from the bed, chair, floor and toilet.
Solid Full Body Sling Advantages.
l Good compatibility, can be used with a variety of patient lifts, easy to move
l Good support, to meet the needs of the whole body support
l Thoughtful head design to protect the head and support it from falling back
Disadvantages of Solid Full Body Sling
l Easy to squeeze for a long time, easy to make the patient feel discomfort on the shoulder
l Easy to squeeze the legs, long time use of legs paralysis discomfort
Recommended Solid Full Body Sling:
(3) Full Body Mesh Sling
This sling is used similarly to a solid full-body sling and is able to support the patient's entire body. This sling is also very compatible and can be used with a variety of lifts. The difference is that this sling is more breathable and suitable for use in hot summer weather.
Full Body Mesh Sling advantages
l Good compatibility with most competitive floor patient lifts, able to move easily between beds, chairs, toilets and floors
l Good support for full body support needs
l Good breathability, no stuffy feeling for long time use, dry and comfortable sitting
Full Body Mesh Sling disadvantages
l Sometimes will produce a sense of extrusion, long time use will cause numbness and discomfort in the shoulders and legs
Recommended Mesh Sling
(4) Divided leg patient U-sling
Divided leg patient U-sling is designed with looped legs to easily separate the legs, avoiding knee compression and helping to evenly distribute the patient's weight.
It is also known as a split leg sling and provides a comfortable experience for patients.
Divided leg patient U-sling advantages
l More even weight distribution for the patient
l Reduces the sensation of knee compression and prevents collisions during exercise
l The crossbelt in front of the body protects the patient from accidental falls
l Easy to use
Divided leg patient U-sling disadvantages
l No full body support, arms are exposed outside the sling
Recommended divided leg patient U-sling:
Divided leg patient U-sling with head support
(5) U-Sling (toilet, hygiene sling)
One of the easiest slings to use, able to pass through the patient's legs and not go under the patient's buttocks. It is often used for bathroom transfers and is also known as a toilet sling or hygiene sling.
The open bottom design makes it very easy to put on, so it can be put on the patient while he or she is lying down and left on the patient while going to the bathroom.
U-Sling advantages
l Bottom opening design for quicker transfer
l Good versatility, suitable for most people
U-Sling disadvantages
l No head support, not suitable for long time use
Recommended U-Sling:
Medical aid nursing padded U-sling without head support
(6) Universal Sling
Similar in structure to the U-Sling, with a design that passes through the patient's legs. It distributes the patient's weight evenly, reduces the sensation of crushing and prevents the patient from being tightly clamped.
Advantages of the Universal Sling
l Good compatibility, can be used with most lifts
l Easy to operate by medical staff, allowing the patient to be easily placed in the sling
l Even weight distribution reduces pressure and provides a comfortable user experience
Universal sling disadvantages
l Does not support the hips, not as comfortable as full body slings which support more parts of the body, and takes time for the patient to adjust to.
Recommended Universal Sling:
(7) Transfer lift sling with head support
This sling is for patients with a weak neck that cannot support their own head. The high-backed design provides head support and helps the patient maintain a comfortable sitting position. The high back design provides head support to help the patient maintain a comfortable sitting position. It also has a positioning effect to prevent the patient from unconsciously tipping and leaning forward and backward during head rotation.
Recommended Transfer lift sling with head support:
Adjustable solid padded patient transfer lift sling with head support
(8) Patient walk assist lift sling.
This is a sling for patient gait training that can be used in conjunction with a lift to improve patient balance, coordinate gait, and allow for safe rehabilitation training.
Recommended patient walk assist lift sling:
Soft comfortable patient walk assist lift sling
(9) Patient transfer repositioning sling
This is a full-body sling that enables horizontal transfer with the patient's entire body in a supine position. This sling wraps the patient's entire body as if they were lying in a hammock, distributing the weight evenly, and is one of the most comfortable slings.
Recommended patient transfer repositioning sling :
Patient bed full size transfer nursing sling with adjustable handles
(10) Bath sling
This is a sling that helps the patient to bathe in the bathroom. It is just like a swing, and allows the patient to sit and shower, except that unlike a swing, the bottom of this sling is empty, both for the convenience of bathing and for ease of use.
The material used is the same as the sanitary sling, and is made of hydrophilic mesh.
(11) Disposable sling
As the name implies this sling is a sling that can be discarded after one time use and is suitable for situations where a high degree of hygiene is required. It can effectively prevent cross infection, and easy to use, no need to clean after using.
4. Is it convenient to integrate the patient mobile sling into my life?
The answer is yes. Patient mobile sling is perfectly compatible with various lifts, common ones such as: ceiling lifts, bariatric lifts, electric lifts, manual lifts and sit-to-stand lifts.
So the patient mobile sling is very easy to use and only needs to be configured with a suitable lift.
5. How to use the patient transfer sling?
The operation steps of using a patient transfer sling can be summarized as follows: fold, turn, spread, roll, lie, fork and lift.
Step 1: Fold the sling and place it next to the patient.
Step 2: Turn the patient over.
Step 3: Partially unfold the sling next to the patient, roll the patient to the other side and fully unfold the sling.
Step 4: Roll the patient while the sling is flat and unfolded.
Step 5: Lay him or her flat on the sling.
Step 6: Place the leg straps on the mid-thigh and cross the leg straps.
Step 7:Then attach the sling to the lift.
6. What should I consider before purchasing?
Compatibility
Not every sling is suitable for every lift, some transfer lift machines need specific models of patient slings, so be sure to think about which slings your lift machine is compatible with before you buy.
Sling size
Before purchasing a patient sling you should consider the size of the sling you want to purchase from four aspects: patient waist and shoulder circumference, height, thigh size and sling load limit.
Sling back size
Low back sling can be used instead of bathing sling and hygiene sling, suitable for users with changing body tone, and also convenient for placing clothes to facilitate bathing.
The medium sling is suitable for users who can easily lift their heads and can provide support for most seated transits.
The high back sling is for users who cannot lift their heads independently and prevents the patient from tilting and sagging when turning their heads.
Materials
Disposable: Single-use. Ideal for situations where ultra-high hygiene standards need to be met.
Padding: Additional padding for patients with sensitive skin or problems such as pressure sores.
Mesh: For patients who are at risk of getting wet, suitable for use in bathrooms with toilets or shower slings.
Polyester: Breathable, washable, durable, easy to clean, and suitable for wet or dry environments. Suitable for heavy-duty institutions because they are easy to keep clean, eliminate cross-contamination and create a healthy environment.
7. Patient Transfer Slings versus Patient Transfer Boards (stretchers)
The biggest advantage of a patient transfer sling over a patient transfer board is that it is more flexible in use.
Patient transfer boards are mostly stretcher designs, which have the advantage of being able to provide full body support, and are strong and durable, require no time to care for, and are commonly used when the patient is completely unconscious. The disadvantage is that it is not flexible enough to use, and it usually requires two to four people to transfer the patient.
Patient transfer slings are mostly padded, fabric and rope designs, and are used in conjunction with lifts. This structure makes the patient transfer sling completely compensate for the inherent disadvantage of patient transfer boards: inflexibility in use. The sling not only supports a variety of sitting, lying and standing positions, but also can be used easily by one person.
With the help of a transfer machine, caregivers with little strength can transfer patients who are significantly heavier than themselves.
In addition, the patient transfer sling has a variety of structures to meet the needs of patients: from bed to chair, from chair to bed, etc., to help patients live better.
8. Prospects of patient transfer slings
We can also get a glimpse of the development trend of the patient transfer sling from its application field.
First of all, the creation of patient transfer slings has brought a lot of convenience to many hospitals, making it easier for medical and nursing staff to transfer patients, where the demand for patient transfer slings is only increasing.
In addition, patient transfer slings are of great significance not only for hospitals, but also for the elderly, for whom the patient transfer slings allow their families to transfer the elderly at will.
Moreover, for families with elderly people at home, it is convenient and easy to equip patient transfer slings for taking care of the elderly, and it is effortless to use with the installation of transfer (lift) machine when the elderly need to be transferred, and even women can easily operate it.
Finally, with the improvement of people's living standards, more and more people can afford the patient transfer sling.
Comprehensively these three aspects determine the patient transfer sling in the future must have great development space.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a walking sling?
A: A walking sling primarily supports the chest, upper back and hips while holding the user in place. It is suitable for gait training and provides support for the patient to maintain a standing position when used.
Q: What is the Universal Sling?
A: The Universal Sling is what we often call a U-shaped sling that can be easily molded around the body. Can be used with floor or ceiling lifts. It is suitable for patients with limited muscle tone and function in the upper extremities. Because they can lift the client from a wheelchair, bed, chair or floor.
Q: What is a toilet sling?
A: A toilet sling supports the back and under the thighs, is made of fabric for easy cleaning, and is designed not to cover the bottom, making it suitable for toileting.
10. Article Summary
Patient mobility slings are created to serve both the patient and the caregiver.
It helps the patient to better complete the position transfer, enabling the patient to achieve bed to chair, floor position movement and assist the patient's daily life.
Helps reduce the burden on caregivers. Caregivers are at high risk of musculoskeletal stress and injury. The sling supports the patient's weight, and the patient lift sling makes it easier for caregivers to transfer patients and helps improve caregiver safety.
A wide variety of patient mobility slings, including sit-to-stand assistive slings, full-body slings, web slings, split-leg slings, U-shaped slings, universal slings and patient-specific lifting slings (high-back slings, repositioning slings, walking safety slings, bath slings and disposable slings) are available to meet a wide variety of needs.
These slings are generally flexible in transfer, easy to use, comfortable to use, durable and easy to care for, and compatible.
Properly used patient lift slings and the right size can provide comfort, support and stability to help patients move from one place to another and assist them with activities of daily living.
Five factors to consider before purchasing include weight-bearing capacity, lift compatibility, size of the sling, size of the sling back and material of the sling.
Thanks for reading! The above is the introduction about patient lift slings, and hope the above introduction can help you choose the most suitable sling.
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