By Stefanie Scott

Repositioning and transferring patients are among the most common tasks that lead to healthcare worker injuries, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports. A low-tech, low-cost slide sheet can assist in most of these patient-handling tasks, reducing the risk of injury to caregivers while increasing patient comfort.

With no installation or accessories required, PATRAN® slide sheets (sometimes referred to as friction-reducing devices, slips, glide sheets or lateral transfer devices) allow healthcare organizations to start a safe patient handling and mobility program with little financial investment and quickly prevent some of the most frequent and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries incurred by healthcare professionals.

Slide sheets are designed to slide, not lift a patient, so there is no weight limit to who can be moved with a PATRAN slide sheet. However, larger patients may require using a larger size or multiple slide sheets so the entire body fits.

PATRAN single-patient, multiple-use slide sheets can be used in just about every area of a hospital or health care setting. With the full-body size, log-rolling a patient is not required to insert the PATRAN under a patient, which can prevent pain, dislocation or further injury in orthopedic patients. From pre-hospital emergency response to radiology, surgery and orthopedic medical floors, slide sheets have a number of patient handling and mobility uses.

The following are just a few reasons why PATRAN slide sheets are the industry leader:

PATRAN slide sheets can be used 30+ times with the same patient before they lose their slip, which is generally more than sufficient for an acute care patient.

PATRAN moves in all directions, so one tube-shaped sheet can be used 20+ ways, including lateral transfer, repositioning/boosting in bed, getting slings on patients and even putting on compression hose.

PATRAN is inexpensive, especially based on its size. The original PATRAN at 72×36 fits most patients’ entire body. Smaller slide sheets, many at a higher price point, require additional caregivers to hold the head and feet of the patient or the body parts hanging off the slide sheet increase the friction and skin shear.

PATRAN helps prevent cross-infection. Patients get their PATRAN upon entering a healthcare facility and it stays with them throughout their stay. Then it’s disposed of upon discharge. It can be used in just about every area of a hospital. PATRAN is radio-translucent, is latex-free and contains an anti-stat.

PATRAN comes in more styles than any other single-patient-use (sometimes called disposable) slide sheet brand. In addition to the original PATRAN, smaller and larger (bariatric), as well as individually wrapped versions are available.

PATRAN doesn’t require log-rolling to get it under a patient. The size, flexibility and slipperiness give caregivers options about how to insert it and methods of use that allow them to take the patient’s medical condition into consideration.

Click on PATRAN SLIDE SHEET to see the PATRAN listing on OrthopaedicLIST.com.

Stefanie Scott is President of Jamar Health Products, Inc., manufacturer of PATRAN® slide sheets. She is a Certified Safe Patient Handling Associate through the Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals.