How To Use A Hoyer Lift
Whether it is in a hospital set-up or in a homecare
case, it is easy to see that transferring patients from bed to bed or from bed to wheelchair can be quite an
undertaking. Manual patient transfers can be dangerous for both patient and caregiver. A Hoyer lift is the
perfect solution to patient lift issues.
Trying to lift a patient out of a bed, or a chair,
manually can not only lead to back injuries for the caregiver, it can also be dangerous for the patient as it
involves some risk, however small, of slipping and falling. Patient lifts like the Hoyer lift were especially
created for such situations, and are designed to make patient handling safer. They also help ensure dignity
in situations where patient handling is needed.
The Hoyer Lift, or a sling lift, is a device that
assists the shifting and handling of patients in all kinds of set ups. Since they are lightweight and are
easy to assemble and disassemble, they can be transported quickly and easily to almost anywhere, and set up
in hospitals or nursing homes equally as simply as they would at home. If the patient is heavy, and their
mobility is limited due to illness or disability, it may be close to impossible for nursing staff or care
givers to lift and shift them. A patient can be transferred between a bed and any other resting place, safely
and quickly using the power of hydraulics with these devices.
The advantages of the lift lie in the fact that it nor
only reduces chances of patient or caregiver injury but also allows hospitals and hospices to function with a
reduced number of nursing staff dedicated to the movement of patients.
The use of a Hoyer lift is fairly simple, and shifting
is accomplished by placing a piece of specialized fabric under the patient to hold the weight while they are
suspended. Using hooks and chains, the fabric is then attached to the hydraulic lift, and hoisted or lowered
to shift the patient. A proper assessment is necessary of the size, weight, and the acuteness of their
condition, before a lift can be decided upon or used. The wrong lift can seriously endanger the patient
during transfer.
Nursing advocacy groups have been putting efforts into
making sure that hospitals and nursing homes adopt these lifting devices, with properly trained staff for the
safest and most efficient use. It is essential to know the right way to use the Hoyer lift. The proper sling
is as essential to the smooth movement of the patient as is the proper positioning of the lift. Trained
personnel are also important to ensure safety. Space is important, because without adequate room in the
patient's vicinity, the lift will not function optimally.
To raise the patient, the lift base is spread to the
widest position for full stability, and patient is lowered or raised by the use of the hydraulic pressure
knob or the hand control button. Remember that the boom does not swivel, so make sure the weight is centered
over the legs. When the base legs are at their widest open position, and locked in, the steering handle is
used to push the lift into position, and to raise and lower the patient.
Once the patient is clear out of the bed, they must be
swung off the bed, and the steering handle is used to move the lift away. Always have the patient facing the
operator. When lowering, begin with getting their feet to rest on the base, straddling the mast. Then close
the control valve and shift them into the chair.
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