|  | Public Health Safety | Work Safety

How to Hook a Sling to a Hoyer Lift

Attaching a sling to a Hoyer lift can be simplified by remembering the phrase, "Far, then near." You work from the parts that are farther away from the patient's head and your body to the parts that are closer to the patient's head and your body. Using a sling with a patient should be similar to picking up the corners of a handkerchief to hold an object. Each corner attaches to its own corresponding hook.

Things You'll Need

  • Hoyer lift
  • Sling (U-shaped or hammock style)
  • Patient
  • Wheelchair or commode
Show More

Instructions

  1. Positioning

    • 1

      Position the Hoyer lift, sling, and wheelchair or commode in convenient places in the room for a smooth transfer. Position the patient in the center of the bed, if the bed is twin sized. If the bed is a larger size, position the patient close to the side of the bed where you and the lift are.

    • 2

      Roll the patient on his side facing away from you (remember "far"). Fold the sling in half lengthwise and place the sling so that the cut-out (if there is one) is just below the coccyx (tailbone), the seat is under the patient's thighs and the back is positioned where it should fall on the patient's back. Some slings go to just above the small of the patient's back, and some provide full back support. Roll the patient's body toward you (remember "then near"). Smooth the sling out flat, and roll the patient back into a supine position (lying on his back).

    • 3

      Maneuver the Hoyer lift so that the base is under the bed and the cradle (or swivel bar) is over the top of the patient and lock the base. Press the release and lower the cradle until the hooks are about one foot above the patient's body. Remember that the straps or rings on the sling will hook onto the Hoyer lift's hooks just like they are now, under the patient's body. The ones that are farthest from his head will go onto the hooks that are farthest from his head, and they will go on the lift's hooks first. The ones closer to his head will go onto the hooks that are closer to his head, and will go on the lift last. You will also work from farthest from your body to closest to your body.

    • 4

      Attach the leg straps or rings. Hook the leg strap that is farthest from you onto the Hoyer lift's hook that is farthest from the patient's head and farthest from your body.

      Then hook the leg strap that is closer to you onto the hook that is on the side of the Hoyer lift's swivel bar closer to you. The left leg strap/ring will go on the hook on the left side, and the right leg strap/ring will go on the hook on the right side. They will simply be lifted up and attached to the corresponding hook.

    • 5

      Lean the patient up into a sitting position (or as much as possible), and attach the
      other two straps/rings onto the hooks that are closest to the patient's head. Start with the side farthest from you and then attach the side that is closest to you.
      You are now ready to lift and maneuver the patient.

Work Safety - Related Articles