Force Testing Data Slide Sheets

Corey White - Force Data Testing

Force Testing Data Slide Sheets

A tool for encouraging staff to use slide sheets

Corey White

Haines Medical Australia


Why do this Testing?

Manufacturer - prove longevity after washing and slip qualities of our slide sheets

For end users to have objective data to encourage use (Theatre Staff)

Quantify the benefits of slide sheet use


Have you heard these Staff Excuses?

Too hard to find the slide sheetDon’t know how to use itTook it home as moving this weekendTakes too longDraw sheet is already there

An objective % force reduction may help reduce these


A Reminder!

Survey of 269 nurses, 40% had an injury from Manual handlingManual handling activities and injuries among nurses: an Australian hospital study.

Retsas A et al. J Adv Nurs. (2000)


Force Testing - Method

In a N.A.T.A. approved facility, using a force data gauge connected to 2 points on a draw sheet to represent one person pulling the sheet.



A sliding device (e.g. slide sheet, rollboard, etc) was positioned under the patient underneath a cotton/poly draw sheet.

Patient Transfer Board was used to bridge the gap for lateral transfers

60kg, 90kg and 150kg tested

3 transfers were measured and averaged for each move

Slide sheets were washed at Independent Laundry to Australian Standard



Maximum Force was recorded (the highest force detected to move

the patient – often deemed to be the “initial force” required to get a patient to move) as well as the Ongoing Force (the average of the forces required over the entire move once moving).


Limitations

Assessor may have changed angle of pull in each test which may possibly have altered results - 3 trials for each test were done

We only had access to one hospital mattress thus transfer was made from one bed to the other without a mattress however both surfaces were kept level and we could still compare each of the sliding tools as they all were used on the same surface )

Patient Transfer Board was used for all lateral transfers


Initial Force to Move 90kg Patient

167.3N vs 85.8N

Draw sheet alone Reusable Slide Sheet 17.1kgs 8.7kgs

48% reduction in initial force required


Ongoing Force to Move 90kg Patient

120N vs 69.7NDraw sheet alone Reusable Slide Sheet 12.2kgs 7.1kgs

42% reduction in force required


Varying Patient Weights

60kg patient 90kg Patient 150kg patient

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Initial Force (kg)Ongoing Force (kg)


% Force Required of Weight Moved

60kg patient 90kg Patient 150kg patient0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

Initial Force (kg)

Ongoing Force (kg)


Reusable Slide Sheet- After 250 Washes – Ongoing Force – 90kg

89.6N vs 69.7NAfter 250 Washes When New 9.1kgs 7.1kgs

25% additional force required – 90kg patient


Up the Bed Move – No Transfer Board


A slope of 5 degrees to the pulling end – 90kg patient

Decreased initial force required from 103N (10.5kgs) to 47N (4.79kgs)

Decreased ongoing force required from 91N (9.31kgs) to 34N (3.47kgs)


Reusable Slide Sheet Consistency

Both Sides / All 4 Directions

6% Variation


Roll Board ComparisonInitial Force to Move 90kg Patient

134.3N vs 85.8NRollBoard Reusable Slide Sheet

13.7kgs 8.7kgs

57% increase in initial force required - weakness


PE TUBES COMPARISON90kg Patient – Ongoing Force

73.6N vs 153.6N

SallyTube Single PE TUBESPatient Use - 7.5kgs 15.7kgs

Summary – 90kg Patient

- 48% reduced initial force- 42% reduced ongoing force

- 5% downward slope decreased ongoing force by 62%

(Remember all tests were one force data gauge)



Testing Next Time

- Test without a Pat Slide for lateral transfer

- Patient knees bent / not bent- Alternating mattresses- Soft foam mattresses

- With Pat Slide / Without Pat Slide- 2 force data gauges to understand

reduction simulating 2 staff


Results / Raw Data

Copy of Raw Data, Summary findings and this presentation

please contact

Corey [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Health & Medicine

Force Testing Data Slide Sheets