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What Is A Slide Sheet
Patient slide sheets are an important item for carers. They are designed to be used in moving, transferring and repositioning a patient without having to lift them from somewhere such as a bed. They are key for patient mobility.
The Benefits of Using Slide Sheets
Using slide sheet devices for in-bed movements has benefits not only for safety, but also for the patient’s comfort, security and dignity.
The risks of moving the full body weight of a dependent patient are well recognised. For horizontal transfers and many in-bed movements, the provision of a friction-reducing slide sheet may be a sound solution for reducing physical effort and improving patient comfort
How to safely use a slide sheet to move someone in bed
Before you start
- Two people are needed to use a slide sheet. Don’t start until there are two people in position, one standing on either side of the bed.
- Check that the slide sheet is in good condition and is not thin,worn or dirty.
- Talk to the person being moved about what help they will need to give (if possible).
Moving a person on a bed using a slide sheet
1.Fold the slide sheet in half. Make sure that the open ends are the side of the bed that the person is going to be moved towards. If moving a person up the bed, the open ends of the slide sheet should be under the person’s head and the fold under their thighs.
2.Put the slide sheet underneath the shoulders and hips of the person being moved. To do this:
- Push the sheet underneath one side of the person.
- Put the patient’s arms across their chest and bend their far knee or put their far leg across their near leg.
- Roll the person onto their side. Coordinate so that the farcarer pushes hip and shoulder over, while the near carer guides knee and elbow. Both carers should use their body weight to roll the person, rather than their shoulders.
- Roll the person onto their back again. Pull slide sheet gently through the other side of them and straighten.
Note: If the person is going to help to slide themselves over, make sure the slide sheet stays in place for them to slide onto.
3. Once the slide sheet is in position to move the person,everyone should coordinate a sliding motion (not lifting) towards the desired position using their body weight and legs.To do this:
- Carers should stand with one foot in front of the other footon opposite sides of the bed.
- The person’s legs should be moved first before moving the rest of the body.
- One carer pulls the top layer of slide sheet while the other carer pushes the person’s shoulder and hip, moving them across the bed.
Log Roll the person onto the slide sheet
- ask the person to, (or a helper) move their head in the direction of the move, put their arm across their body and bend their upper knee
- one helper places a hand on the person’s shoulder and hip,using a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg, rolls the person towards them and onto their side,
- the other helper concertinas (fig 1) the two slide sheets just less than halfway and with a downward motion pushes the concertinaed end of the slide sheet under the person (fig 2). Ensure the hips and shoulders are well on the sheet,
- roll the person on to their back and pull the concertinaed end of the slide sheets through.
Rolling over
- ask the person to, (or a helper) move their head in the direction of the move, put their arm across their body and bend upper knee,
- the helper pulling the slide sheet will grip the top slide sheet with the outer part of their hand, not thumb, close to the person’s hips and shoulders (fig 3),
- on the command “ready, steady slide” the helper with the slide sheet will do a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg pulling the slide sheet. The other helper applies some downward pressure to the hip and shoulder until the person is repositioned on their side in the middle of the bed.
Removing the slide sheets:
- one helper will remove the bottom layer by turning a top corner under, sliding the sheet on itself, to the small of the person’s back,
- repeat with a bottom corner, sliding the sheet on itself, to the small of the person’s back
- continue to slide the sheet until it is completely removed.
Up and down the bed
- log roll the person onto the slide sheets,
- get the person to lift head and bend knees to help push, if the persons knees can’t be bent then put another slide sheet under feet to assist with the move and to prevent skin damage to the heels
- both helpers will ideally stand at the head or foot of the bed facing down the bed (moving up the bed, face the foot of bed, moving down, face the head of bed) (fig 4).
- both helpers will grip the top slide sheet with the outer part of hand, not thumb, close to the person’s shoulders and hips (if they can reach,
- on the command “ready, steady, slide” both helpers will do a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg pulling the slide sheet as they do so (fig 5).
Remember to keep your arms close to your sides and your shoulders down, your body should move as one with the slide sheet as you lunge backwards. Be careful not to put the slide sheets on the floor.
Use of slide sheets should ideally be done with two carers, however if the client can help to some extent, you could get away with one carer. An alternative is the Wendy Lett system which is designed for one caregiver and it stays in position.
Please watch this video:How to use a slide sheet with Two person
What to do once the person has been moved
- Remove the slide sheet by pushing the fold under theperson, and pulling the bottom layer of the open sides in an upwards direction.Note: Never leave slide sheets under a person unsupervised as this could create the risk of a fall.
- The slide sheet can be washed on a gentle machine cycleregularly and hung out on the clothes horse or line.Do not put in the dryer.
Special note
As the person’s condition changes during the last hours – only move your loved one if they are obviously uncomfortable. This can be seen in facial grimacing,frowning, tensing of muscles and agitation.
