Saturday, July 27, 2013

How To Use Pull Sheets To Turn A Patient

By Maryanne Goff


It is often very hard to turn a patient in a hospital. The procedure used to turn a very light patient is different from that one of turning a relatively big one. Pull sheets do this best. They are used in easy turning of patients, especially when they are physically challenged. Many hospitals are getting to know this great secret. They, therefore, buy them for use in their hospitals. Hygiene needs to be observed as they might as well be a tragedy health wise.

The manufacturers had the issue of hygiene in their minds when they were making it. The upper side and the lower one both are made of different materials. Cotton and polyester are the materials for the side that will be in contact with the patient's body. The lower side is usually made of nylon which prevents liquids from getting to the patient. These liquids include water, urine and sweat.

Their make also shows that they can be used hygienically. They are easily cleaned when they get dirty and that is why they are termed to be hygienic. There are two options to wash them, either to hand wash them, or dry clean them. Either way, one must always make it upon themselves to disinfect the coverings. It is however for economic purposes, advisable to use the dry cleaning method. It rarely destroys the material off the fabric, unlike hand washing.

There is a methodology involved in setting up the bed covers. It requires at least two people to do this job. They will set up the bed covers as they turn the patient. The process involves giving the patient a first turn then the first half of the sheet is put below them. They then go on and turn the patient on the other unturned side and set the sheet fully. The sheets are only supposed to stretch from the neck area to the waist area. The patients neck is vulnerable therefore they should apply extra care when turning the patient.

They work best for the nurses that might be in a shift all by themselves. Two people are however the best since it is assured that the patient will not easily be hurt. The steps involved are first step to support the patient's head. They then pull one side of the sheet. In this way, the patient turns a bit. They do this gently until the patient is fully turned.

It is simpler to turn someone using these covers than it would have been if full manpower was used. The nurse's health is being checked also since their necks will not have any pains with the use of pull sheets. This is because one may view the job as simple but not until they try it themselves. Nurses therefore have been saved from this hard task by a very simple sheet. They should get rid of the stress that they had before the manufacture of the sheets.

In as much as the bed covers are a "saviour" to the nurses, they could also be a "monster" to the patients. Some nurses are just naturally negligent. There is always sweat produced by the patient. The sweat produced could bring about sores on the skin of these innocent patients. The condition could even worsen if the area experiences high temperatures all through the days and nights.

Pull sheets can be used in hospitals as well as in personal homes. Some people are just nursed fro home though they are bed ridden. The reason being that they were discharged from hospital. They therefore get the medication they need from home. Their turning could most conveniently be done by the pull sheets.




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