July 01st, 2024

Using Slide Sheets

​The principle behind the use of slide sheets is they slide on each other to reduce the load on the helpers.  Slide sheets should not be used against bare skin.

• Adjust height of bed so knuckles of shortest person touches mattress.

Log Roll the person onto the slide sheet:
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• ask the person to, (or a helper) move their head in the direction of the move, put their arm across their body and bend their upper knee,

 

• one helper places a hand on the person’s shoulder and hip, using a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg, rolls the person towards them and onto their side

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• the other helper concertinas (fig 1) the two slide sheets just less than halfway and with a downward motion pushes the concertinaed end of the slide sheet under the person (fig 2). Ensure the hips and shoulders are well on the sheet,

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Rolling over:
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• ask the person to, (or a helper) move their head in the direction of the move, put their arm across their body and bend upper knee,

• the helper pulling the slide sheet will grip the top slide sheet with the outer part of their hand, not thumb, close to the person’s hips and shoulders (fig 3),

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• on the command “ready, steady slide” the helper with the slide sheet will do a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg pulling the slide sheet.  The other helper applies some downward pressure to the hip and shoulder until the person is repositioned on their side in the middle of the bed.

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Removing the slide sheets:
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• one helper will remove the bottom layer by turning a top corner under, sliding the sheet on itself, to the small of the person’s back,
  

• repeat with a bottom corner, sliding the sheet on itself, to the small of the person’s back,

• continue to slide the sheet until it is completely removed.

Up and down the bed:

• log roll the person onto the slide sheets,

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• get the person to lift head and bend knees to help push, if the persons knees can’t be bent then put another slide sheet under feet to assist with the move and to prevent skin damage to the heels,

 

• both helpers will ideally stand at the head or foot of the bed facing down the bed (moving up the bed, face the foot of bed, moving down, face the head of bed) (fig 4).

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• ​​on the command “ready, steady, slide” both helpers will do a backwards lunge transferring their weight onto their back leg pulling the slide sheet as they do so (fig 5).

Remember to keep your arms close to your sides and your shoulders down, your body should move as one with the slide sheet as you lunge backwards. Be careful not to put the slide sheets on the floor.
 
Use of slide sheets should ideally be done with two carers, however if the client can help to some extent, you could get away with one carer. An alternative is the Wendy Lett system which is designed for one caregiver and it stays in position.

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