A bedside unit provides assistance and/or services to a patient in a bed. The unit includes a first vertical tubular shaft fixed to the floor and a second tubular shaft arranged around the first shaft and moveable relative to the first shaft under the action of a height adjustment mechanism. The apparatus for providing assistance and/or services includes drawers, an overbed table and an egress bar which are arranged to be controllably pivotable about the second shaft. The unit also includes a patient transfer arm at the top of the first shaft and rotatable thereabout.

A harness assembly to assist in and secure a fireman's carry of a victim. The harness assembly includes an adjustable strap to be secured around the victim and an adjustable strap to be secured over the shoulder and under the armpit of a carrier. A harness system includes two harness assemblies with one harness assembly being attached around a leg of the victim and one shoulder of the carrier and the other harness assembly being attached around the chest of the victim and the other shoulder of the carrier. The straps are adjustable so that they can be cinched.

A method for turning and positioning a patient includes placing a sheet under the patient, the sheet including a top surface, a bottom surface, a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a first strap coupled proximate to the first lateral side, and a second strap coupled proximate to the second lateral side, and providing a pulling force to the first strap and the second strap, wherein the pulling force to the first strap and the pulling force to the second strap are in opposing directions across the patient. The pulling force to the first strap is greater than the pulling force to the second strap whereby the pulling force to the first handle causes movement of the patient in the direction of the pulling force to move the patient from a first position to a second position, and the pulling force to the second handle is a resistance force.

A patient support system for providing improved guidance tools with respect to a patient support apparatus. A user interface is configured to receive inputs from a user, and an information output device is configured to provide instructions to the user. The user interface and the information output device may be on a touchscreen display. The user inputs may include a search query. A controller may be adapted to determine search results corresponding to operational functions of the patient support apparatus responsive to the search query and to provide said search results to the user with the information output device. The user input may include shorthand commands corresponding to operational functions of the patient support apparatus. The user interface may include a voice actuation device configured to receive voice actuation commands from a user.

A patient support system for providing improved guidance tools with respect to a patient support apparatus. A user interface is configured to receive inputs from a user, and an information output device is configured to provide instructions to the user. The user interface and the information output device may be on a touchscreen display. The user inputs may include a search query. A controller may be adapted to determine search results corresponding to operational functions of the patient support apparatus responsive to the search query and to provide said search results to the user with the information output device. The user input may include shorthand commands corresponding to operational functions of the patient support apparatus. The user interface may include a voice actuation device configured to receive voice actuation commands from a user.

An assembly and a method for covering a Hoyer Lift sling. The sling assembly includes a cover positioned over a top side of a Hoyer lift sling. The cover has a hole therethrough which is positioned over the hole of the sling. A retaining sheet is attached to the cover and also has a hole therethrough which is positioned in alignment with the hole of the sling. In addition, a pad having a corresponding hole therethrough is preferably positioned between the sling and the cover. At least a portion of the retaining sheet is received through the hole of the pad and through the hole of the sling so that this portion of the retaining sheet is positioned beneath the bottom side of the sling. The cover on top of the sling and the portion of the retaining sheet beneath the sling each extend beyond the width of the sling and have outer edge portions which are attached together so that the sling and the pad are thereby retained between the cover and the retaining sheet.

An assembly and a method for covering a Hoyer Lift sling. The sling assembly includes a cover positioned over a top side of a Hoyer lift sling. The cover has a hole therethrough which is positioned over the hole of the sling. A retaining sheet is attached to the cover and also has a hole therethrough which is positioned in alignment with the hole of the sling. In addition, a pad having a corresponding hole therethrough is preferably positioned between the sling and the cover. At least a portion of the retaining sheet is received through the hole of the pad and through the hole of the sling so that this portion of the retaining sheet is positioned beneath the bottom side of the sling. The cover on top of the sling and the portion of the retaining sheet beneath the sling each extend beyond the width of the sling and have outer edge portions which are attached together so that the sling and the pad are thereby retained between the cover and the retaining sheet.

A device, for grasping a limp body, such as a paraplegic or a quadriplegic patient (19), and transferring the body to another location or moving it into a different position, comprises two pivotally connected sections (12,13), one positioned to grasp the torso portion (18), the other the pelvic one (17). The sections can be kept in line with each other or pivoted toward each other to place the patient in a seated position. Each section comprises an upper frame (14) from the opposite longitudinal edges of which extends a pair of articulated grasping members positioned to move astride the torso or pelvis of the patient. The members include series of transversal cantles which can be directed to curl inwardly toward each other and securely enwrap and grab the load. The frame and the supported patient can then be hoisted, moved and deposited into a supine or seating position. Each member includes a series of successively hinged segments tilted by pulling cables.

A bath tub lifter, comprising a seat element (1), a lifting apparatus (4) for raising and lowering the seat element (1) between a lower operating end position and an upper operating end position, and a scissor lift arrangement (10) having two pairs of scissor lifts with scissor elements, wherein, in the operative state, respectively two scissor elements are coupled to each other such that they are mutually pivotable about a bearing axis.

A patient repositioning system (10) for a bariatric bed (12) includes a mattress (14) having a head end (54), a foot end (52), and an upper surface (46), a sheet (16) residing on the upper surface (46), a drive mechanism (22) operatively coupled to the sheet (16) and adapted to pull the sheet (16) toward the head end (54), and a housing (20) which holds the drive mechanism (22). The mattress (14) further includes a body portion (114) and at least one operatively coupled attached side bolster (112a) located along one longitudinal side (62a) of the body portion (114), thereby to widen the upper surface (46) of the mattress (14) so as to accommodate standard bariatric dimensions. Alternatively, instead of a side bolster (112a), the invention contemplates the use of transition pieces (136a, 136b) near the head end (54), a rotatable housing (20), or a telescopically expandable/contractable housing (20), thereby to expand to accommodate bariatric dimensions and contract to reduced dimensions so as to fit through a standard size doorway.