Choosing Mobile Patient Lifts
June 1, 2009 | Caring Communities and Peace Church RRG
Preview
Patient lifts are instrumental in preventing musculoskeletal injuries in healthcare workers. They are capable of supporting patients who are unable to bear their own weight, and they are designed to hoist and transfer patients safely to and from beds, wheelchairs, toilets, or bathtubs, as well as for picking up fallen patients from the floor or helping patients stand. Lifts can be used in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, and private residences, and specialized slings are available that can allow lifts to be used as ambulation aids or to assist patients in gait training.
In this article,* ECRI Institute focuses on mobile floor lifts, which consist of an extendable wheeled base that fits beneath the patient's bed, a mast, a boom or lifting arm, a hand control, a battery, a hanger bar, and slings. They can be transported from room to room when not in use and can be used in all areas of a hospital.
_______________ * This article is based on an evaluation of mobile patient lifts that first appeared in the February 2009 issue of ECRI Institute's Health Devices journal. For more information on Health Devices, including product-specific ratings of mobile patient lifts, contact us at clientservices@ecri.org. ...