Lift Rentals Foster Both Patient and Caregiver Safety

With nearly two out of five nurses requiring time off of work due to severe back pain, it’s no surprise back injury from lifting patients is one of the leading causes for absenteeism in the medical workforce. Further, when determining professions at greatest risk for experiencing back injuries, national statistics show six out of the top ten include nurse’s aides, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, health aides, radiology technicians, and physical therapists.

The number of back injuries caused by lifting patients can be greatly reduced with the appropriate use of a patient lift. A patient lift is specialized medical equipment designed for persons with mobility difficulty that require support when being transferred between resting places. They are available in different formats including sling or sit to stand.

Sling Patient Lift Rentals

For those providing in-home service as a caregiver to anyone who benefits from assistance during transfer, a sling lift rental can provide the type of support you are looking for. Commonly referenced as a Hoyer lift, sling lifts consist of a piece of material attached to hooks or clips that suspends the individual in air during transfer. Variations of a sling lift include a toileting sling, quadriplegic sling, showering sling, stretcher sling, and an amputee sling. Each are designed to accommodate specifics of the condition which they support.

Rental sling lifts come in either floor or ceiling designs. Floor sling lifts typically have a wheeled base. A ceiling lift is aptly named, as it is installed on the ceiling of the room. Advantages of a ceiling lift are the amount of space saved and its push button electric operation.

Sit-To-Stand Patient Lift Rentals

If an individual needs mobility assistance to transfer between two seated surfaces, they would benefit from the support of a sit-to-stand lift. Sit-to-stand lifts are commonly used when a patient is being moved to a shower chair, bedside, a wheelchair, or a toilet. Patients utilizing this particular device must be able sit up and physically support their own weight while standing. Sit-to-stand lift rentals are popular in home healthcare settings, and are a prudent option for medical facilities requiring their use when current equipment is out of commission.

Safe Patient Handling

Nursing advocacy groups have put a great deal of effort in stressing the importance of safe patient handling by encouraging medical facilities and personnel to adopt a “zero-lift” or “no-lift” philosophy. This includes lifting objects, as well as patients. The ultimate goal is to help lessen or prevent back and other orthopedic injuries in the workplace.

Safe patient handling programs, like those provided by Atlas Lift Tech, have fulfilled their purpose by significantly reducing injury rates, decreasing workers’ compensation claims, and by workers exhibiting less absenteeism. Additionally, based on studies conducted by William Marras, professor of industrial, welding and systems engineering, and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Ohio State, he and other researchers throughout the country recommend all health care companies invest in lifting devices to aid workers.

Rent It Today can help you or your medical facility find patient lifts. To learn more, please click here.