How to do a slide board transfer (properly)

How to do a Slide Board Transfer

Chances are if you’re looking for techniques and information on “how to do a slide board transfer” then you’re either a care giver or in-home care professional. If you are, that’s great – thank you. One technique you may have heard of or are JUST NOW learning about for the first time, is the: Slide board transfer. The slide board transfer involves either transfering your parapalegic patient from the wheelchair to a bed, or from a bed to a wheelchair utilizing a board, and often a gate belt. While many videos online can be found on how to perform this technique with someone who is ABLE to utilize their upper body (strength) to help with the transfer itself, the problem lies when you’re dealing with a patient who may not have the strength, or is simply unable to assist you in the transfer process by using their upper body.

One personal example is from someone I was working with not too long ago who has MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Unfortunately his MS had progressed to the point where he wasn’t able to use his upper body to help me, or any of the other caregivers during these bed transfers, toilet transfers, or any transfers for that matter. While we certainly advocated for the possiblity of utilizing a slide board what we found when doing so was that it would often create more difficulties, especially since he weiged around 225 lb’s. While the utiization of the slide board itself may have worked better with two people, we found that often there weren’t always going to be two people around when needed. So, instead of using the board itself for the actual tranfers, what we found was using it to make adjustments while already transfered onto the bed made things a whole lot easier.

For instance, after we were able to get our patient onto his bed he typically had to be readjusted into a position where he could slept. This involved either a bed sheet to aid in having two of us lift him to move him more towards the sleeping position he desired, or the board itself to move the board and then remove the board, post positioning. As you might imagine however, even for this scenario utilizing a sheet vs the board proved to be more effective. All-in-all, if your patient is able to assist with the transfer itself it makes a world of a difference.

The best advice that can be given for doing a slide board transfer properly is to ensure that your patient has the physical upper body strength to help get onto the board as you transfer them from the chair to the bed, or vice versa. If not, you may want to consider asking for some help or utilize a technique that is more custom to your body type.

One thing is for sure, if you’re a care giver or in-home care professional you’re having to deal with lifts on the daily and one thing our product Pants Up Easy does is HELP alleviate one of the hardest lifts required when dressing your patients. Take a look at what we have to offer and we’re sure you and your patient(s) will be happy with what you see.