Certain diseases might leave patient disabled, so much so that they cannot move from one place to another. Such patients need the assistance of a caregiver. Patient slings are an assistive device or system which helps in the movement of the patient from one place to another. It is apt for patients who are severely injured or paralyzed or have limited mobility. You can opt for a hydraulic operated sling or electronic meter operated sling.
How the Patient Lift Slings Work?
These slings are built to ease the movement of the patient, the lift is harnessed around the patient and then it is used to move the patient from one place to another. The design of the lift is such that it doesn’t exert a lot of pressure on the patient and at the same time it is easy for the caregiver to use it.
What are the Features that you should Consider When Purchasing a Patient Lift Sling:
The first thing that you need to look for in a patient sling is its shape as to whether it is universal, full body or U shape. There are different operations of different types of slings so one must choose the ones conforming to their needs. Here are the different types of patient slings depending on their functionality:
Full Body sling: As evident from the name, this kind of sling is used to lift the entire body. They are available in different designs, but the most common one found in the hospitals is the large square shaped. It provides a higher level of comfort and the patient can be lifted with ease while he/she is lying down.
U-shaped sling: This U-shaped sling easily oases underneath the legs of the patient, thus making it easy for them to lift and move the patient. However, there is a slight drawback as the U-shaped sling doesn’t come with head support.
Universal sling: Universal slings are much like U-shape lift swings that cross the patient’s legs which ensure extra stability for the patient and convenience for the caregiver to lift the patient. The special underbody crossing design that these lifts come with, keeps the patient safe from the harsh fabric.
Split-leg swings: Standing true to its name, Split-leg swings do exactly what it was meant to do. It gently keeps the patient’s leg separated which works to prevent knee contraction and distributes the patient’s weight evenly and comfortably.
What are the Materials that Go into Making Patient Slings?
Since these devices are used to lift the patient and their complete body weight would be falling on the sling , it has to be of good material. Polyesters form the base of the sling. Some of the comfortable types have pads on it so that the patient can easily lie down or sit down while they are lifted from one place to another. The polyester mesh used in the sling helps to commensurate for the patients who can probably get wet. This fabric can absorb moisture and dry quickly. As compared to the polyester sling, the padded ones take more time to get dried up. The padded polyester, in that case, is the go-to for institutional settings because these help resists infection thereby reducing contamination because these have an easy-to-clean setting.
Conclusion
There are diverse and enormous capacities available on patient slings. The thumb rule is to buy high-quality products from the trusted medical equipment manufacturers to have the best deal. Patient slings can be extremely helpful in hospitals for shifting patients with limited mobility. The functional prowess however depends on the material of the product, so you must invest in a good quality product.
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