“Sling your Patient to Safety!”

There are many risk factors that can influence the safety of a patient during a hoist transfer, which can result in severe injuries. There have been documented cases of bodily harm and that of a fatality in past hoist transfers within Queensland Health. A significant contributing factor has been mismatched equipment due to lack of staff knowledge and processes. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has issued safety and prohibition notices to improve patient safety and to control the risk of re-occurrence. 

Hazardous tasks can be controlled through the adherence to established systems and processes. Facilities should have a standardised hoist and sling management program in place, which promote safe hoist transfers and contribute to patient safety. The Prince Charles Hospital has had an established hoist and sling program since 2010. Incident report data has indicated minimal patient incidents and no patient injuries since the implementation of this program.

This presentation will give an insight into the systems implemented to effectively manage hoists and slings and to improve patient safety during hoist transfers at The Prince Charles Hospital. Some of the strategies in this presentation include: procurement of hoists and slings, fleet extension, auditing, maintenance, standardisation, asset management including accurate database, problematic sling labels, appropriate sling storage, consumer engagement, educational tools and strategic annual staff education. To ensure these processes are sustainable team work and collaboration between OH&S, Falls Prevention Facilitators, Physiotherapists, Finance Managers, Engineering Department, Staff Educators and Companies is vital.

With appropriate equipment, training and auditing, proficient hoist and sling management ensures that the safe transfer of patients can be controlled and minimizes risk of injury.