Did you know that ONLY 1 in 4 people, that’s just 25%, are now considered suitable to be transferred in a toileting or access sling? Recently, here on the blog, we talked about why this is the case, today we will help you choose the right sling for your residents.
How do you select the correct toileting sling and what should you be considering as part of your selection process?
1)What type of lift do you want to achieve:
Passive - a passive patient lift does not require the patient to participate in the lifting process
Active - an active patient lift requires the patient to participate in the lifting process.
2) Which style of sling attachments are required:
Is it a sling with loop attachments?
Is it a sling with clip attachments?
3) Weight Range:
By identifying the resident’s weight accurately the size or range of sizes of the sling most suitable can be determined.
Please Note: We always recommend a full and thorough risk assessment is conducted to ascertain the most suitable size of sling based on a patient’s exact shape and range the size or range of sizes most suitable.
4) Trunk Control:
Trunk control refers to the ability to control the trunk or torso. Trunk control affects the patient's ability to hold their body upright or stable when sitting or moving.
5) Head Control:
Head control refers to the patients ability to control their head. Head control will affect the patient's ability to hold their head steady when sitting or moving.
6) Functional Independence Measure or FIM Score:
FIM involves the classification of a person’s mobility according to 7 levels of function, from independence to total assistance. For more information on FIM Scores, click here.
7) Amputee:
If the patient to be transferred is an amputee, this needs to be taken into consideration.
8) Involuntary Movement:
Is the patient prone to involuntary movement during transfer? Is it mild, moderate or severe?
9) Special Conditions:
Does the patient have any special conditions, such as tissue viability, spasms or complex body shape which need to be taken into consideration?
10) Transfer Function – Chair to Commode/Toilet:
Transferring a patient from a chair to a commode or toilet. This is a specific type of transfer that requires a specific function sling which should never be used as a multi-purpose transfer sling.
11) Patient Dignity:
Does the sling allow for easy dress or clothing removal and reapplication? The best sling for toileting should allow for clothing removal and reapplication and if there is some difficulty involved, then adaptive clothing should be seriously considered
12) Laundering:
Cross contamination can be a real problem due to the nature and use of a toileting sling and laundering at a bacterial killing temperature is essential...
To help you further we have included a link to the Oxford Sling Selector which is an interactive tool enabling users to select the most suitable sling based on patient and transfer requirements
The Oxford High Back Sling
In conclusion
One type of toileting sling does NOT fit all, however all toileting slings should incorporate a safety belt. Not all slings serve the same purpose and not all slings are equal. Joerns Healthcare have spent many years refining and developing slings for specific scenarios, medical conditions, age groups and gender, during which they have seen many slings being used for multi-purpose which are not appropriate and do not always consider the dignity of the end user.
How safe are your residents you are currently transferring in toileting slings? Here’s how Hcsuk can help you learn more:
- Provide a free sling awareness and training session for your staff (on the purchase of our range of Oxford slings)
- Help with assessments of individual residents
- Recommend correctly sized, fit for purpose sling solutions.
To help you to achieve:
- Improved safety for your staff and residents
- Increase your compliance with legislation
- Reduced accidents or falls
- Improved resident comfort and confidence during hoisting
To find out more please call Beckie TODAY on 01773 713713 or email her at sales@hcsuk.co.uk.
