Pad change / slings
I recently started a new job in a nursing home.
I have always worked as a carer in the community so this job and routine is slightly different.
In the nursing home they use toilet slings a lot.
They are great to use as there is an opening for clients to use the toilet. Transferring from wheelchair and straight onto the toilet. No need to Transfer onto a bed first to
Loosen trousers and pad.
Carers are doing something I’ve never seen before. Clients in the toilet sling are been hoisted to
Go to bed but instead of changing the client on the bed they are doing so while still in the slings which looks very uncomfortable.
They are left hovering over the bed . Everything is pulled down and pad off. A spray in used to
Clean them and only when clean they are lowered onto the bed and clean pad is put on.
I honestly dont get it ? Why can’t the client be lowered onto the bed and cleaned in comfort ! As for as my training went. Hoists are only used to transfer advice please
Wow, no, no....slings are to be used only for transfers, no way is it dignified or comfortable for the service users, to be changed like this, I can't understand why, because you have to put the service user onto the bed anyway to put a pad on them.
As a Manual Handling Instructor I agree with the previous response. Hoist and slings are as you were trained are for transfer only over short distances. I would suggest that in addition to the loss of dignity in the action you describe, there is an additional Health & Safe Risk involved for both the client and the staff members involved. I would suggest that if managers are aware that this is occurring they need to update work practice policies and action remedial training. If they are unaware that is a travesty and would suggest that all policies and work practices need review and revision. I do wonder what CQC would make of this practice???????