Lift Equipment and Transfer Systems
Slide Boards
A slide board, also called a sliding board, is used to transfer patients who cannot use their legs. The main purpose of the slide board is to help reduce the need for lifting. It is a placed under patients when transferring them from bed to chair, or chair to car. There are several designs for slide boards, some with moving seats that slide, and others that are nothing more than a slick piece of wood or plastic on which the patient slides.
Slide boards are used to reduce the need to lift patients.
- Some newer versions of slide boards have devices that allow the resident to slide easily along the board without tissue damage and with no lifting involved.
- The friction of the movement is borne by the slide board, not the patient's skin. These devices are very useful for difficult transfers like car to wheelchair.
- This type of slide board protects against back injuries, brachial plexus injuries and conditions which can cause pressure sores.
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2-5. What is the main purpose of slide boards?
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