Lifting the patient from the floor
1.Position the patient lift behind the patient, placing a pillow over the base to protect and sup- port the patient’s head and neck. Place the patient's head carefully on the pillow. The patient lift should be positioned with the spreader bar centered over the patient.
2.Lower the spreader bar. Attach the sling to the spreader bar hooks.
3.Lift the patient up above the floor. Position the patient in the sling by pulling the handle on the back of the sling.
4.Turn the patient to face the lifting column. Remove pillow from base and place the patient’s feet on the base, straddling the column for extra stability.
Lowering the patient to the floor
1.Place a pillow on the base to protect the patient’s head and neck (this is unnecessary when us- ing a sling with a head support).
2.Reverse the above procedures to lower.
Transferring the patient from a chair to a wheelchair or commode chair
WARNING: GF Health Products, Inc. recommends that two attendants be used when transferring a patient to and from a wheelchair.
1.Fold the sling.
2.While maintaining support, gently lean the patient forward. Place the folded sling behind the patient’s back and push it down until it touches the seat of the chair.
3.Use the loops to pull the leg sections of the sling forward and beneath the patient’s thighs. Then cross the loops, one through the other.
4.Move the patient lift around to the front of the chair.
5.Hook all sling loops onto the spreader bar.
6.Carefully raise the patient.
7.The second attendant should now move the wheelchair into position.
8.Engage the wheelchair wheel locks to prevent movement.
WARNING: Before transfer, ensure wheelchair wheel locks are in locked position. Wheel- chair wheel locks must be in a LOCKED POSITION before lowering the patient into the wheelchair, or unexpected wheelchair movement could result, which may result in seri- ous injury to both the patient and the attendants.
9.Position the patient over the wheelchair with their back against the back of the wheelchair.
10.SLOWLY lower the patient into the wheelchair.
11.With one attendant behind the wheelchair and the other operating the lift, the attendant be- hind the chair should pull back on the handle or sides of the sling to place the patient into the back of the chair. This will maintain a good center of balance and prevent the chair from tip-
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