Purpose
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To outline cleaning and disinfection procedures for patient lift equipment slings or the anti-friction slide sheets
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Audience
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Employees at UTMB hospitals and clinics, contract workers, volunteers, and students who are involved in the use and cleaning of patient lift equipment slings and the anti-friction slide sheets
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Procedure
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• Patient lift equipment slings and anti-friction slide sheets may be used for any patient provided there is a barrier between the skin and the device.
• Patients with open wounds and incontinence of urine or stool should have a sling dedicated to their use.
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Bathing
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A mesh sling should be used for transferring patients into a bathtub or shower. Slings used to assist in the bathing process should be laundered between patient uses.
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Isolation
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Patients who are in Contact or Modified Contact Precautions should have a sling dedicated to their use. The sling may be laundered upon discontinuation of this therapy.
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Laundry
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• Slings that are used on patients who are continent, and that do not come into contact with bare skin (i.e., covered by a sheet or bedclothes) may be laundered once a week.
• Slings contaminated by blood or body fluids or that come into contact with bare skin must be laundered between patient uses.
• Used slings may be placed into a designated laundry bag and stored in the dirty utility room.
• Clean slings will be delivered to the floor with the floor linen.
• Clean slings must be stored with the clean linens or in a clean utility room.
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Anti-friction
Slide Sheets
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• Anti-friction slide sheets may be issued to individual patients and laundered when soiled or after patient use.
• Anti-friction sheets may be placed in the laundry bag with the patient lift equipment slings and delivered to the laundry. They will be returned with the clean linen.
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