초록 ▼

Methods and apparatus for transferring patients are provided. A patient transfer device may have a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure. A patient may lie supine on a patient support structure on top of a transfer sheet. Airbags may be adjusted beneath the transfer sheet to form channels. T

Methods and apparatus for transferring patients are provided. A patient transfer device may have a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure. A patient may lie supine on a patient support structure on top of a transfer sheet. Airbags may be adjusted beneath the transfer sheet to form channels. To transfer the patient from the patient support structure to the wheeled base, the lateral transfer structure is extended into the channels beneath the patient. A stretcher frame is formed from the extended lateral transfer structure. A stretcher that supports the patient is formed by attaching the transfer sheet to the stretcher frame. After the stretcher has been formed, the extended portions of the lateral transfer structure may be retracted to move the stretcher and patient on top of the wheeled base. The patient transfer device may be adjusted to allow the patient to assume a sitting position during transit.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transferring a patient between a patient support structure and a patient transfer device, wherein the patient transfer device has a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure attached to the wheeled base, and wherein the lateral transfer structure has extendin

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transferring a patient between a patient support structure and a patient transfer device, wherein the patient transfer device has a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure attached to the wheeled base, and wherein the lateral transfer structure has extending members, the method comprising: extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient; forming a stretcher for the patient from the extending members that have been extended under the patient; and retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, wherein the extending members comprise portions that pivot and wherein forming the stretcher comprises forming a frame for the stretcher by pivoting the portions that pivot. 2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein forming the stretcher further comprises attaching a patient transfer sheet to the frame before retracting the stretcher. 3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein attaching the patient transfer sheet to the frame comprises attaching the patient transfer sheet to the frame using hook and loop fasteners. 4. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the patient transfer sheet is attached to the frame using a fastening mechanism that pulls the patient transfer sheet tight across the frame. 5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising lowering the patient onto the stretcher before retracting the stretcher. 6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the stretcher is substantially rectangular, wherein the extending members are parallel to each other, and wherein forming the stretcher comprises attaching a patient transfer sheet to the portions that pivot before retracting the stretcher. 7. A method for transferring a patient between a patient support structure and a patient transfer device, wherein the patient transfer device has a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure attached to the wheeled base, and wherein the lateral transfer structure has extending members, the method comprising: extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient; forming a stretcher for the patient from the extending members that have been extended under the patient; and retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, wherein the extending members comprise at least two parallel portions, wherein at least one of the extending members has a rotatable portion, and wherein forming the stretcher comprises forming a frame by rotating the rotatable portion and connecting the parallel portions together using the rotatable portion. 8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the rotatable portion is parallel to the parallel portions while the extending members are being extended under the patient, wherein the rotatable portion is perpendicular to the parallel portions when the parallel portions are connected together by the rotatable portion, and wherein forming the stretcher further comprises attaching a patient transfer sheet to the frame before retracting the stretcher. 9. A method for transferring a patient between a patient support structure and a patient transfer device, wherein the patient transfer device has a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure attached to the wheeled base, and wherein the lateral transfer structure has extending members, the method comprising: extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient; forming a stretcher for the patient from the extending members that have been extended under the patient; and retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, wherein the extending members comprise at least three extending members with parallel portions, wherein two of the extending members have rotatable portions, and wherein forming the stretcher comprises forming a frame by rotating the two rotatable portions and connecting the parallel portions together using the two rotatable portions. 10. The method defined in claim 9 wherein the two rotatable portions are parallel to the parallel portions while the extending members are being extended under the patient, wherein the two rotatable portions are perpendicular to the parallel portions when the parallel portions are connected together through the rotatable portions, and wherein forming the stretcher further comprises attaching a patient transfer sheet to the frame before retracting the stretcher. 11. A method for transferring a patient between a patient support structure and a patient transfer device, wherein the patient transfer device has a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure attached to the wheeled base, and wherein the lateral transfer structure has extending members, and wherein the patient is initially on a flexible sheet on the patient support structure, the method comprising: extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient; after extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient, forming a stretcher for the patient from the extending members that have been extended under the patient and from the flexible sheet; and retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, wherein: the extending members form at least part of a stretcher frame; forming the stretcher from the extending members that have been extended under the patient and from the flexible sheet comprises attaching the flexible sheet to the stretcher frame before retracting the stretcher; the lateral transfer structure includes a fastening mechanism; and attaching the flexible sheet to the stretcher frame comprises using the fastening mechanism to tighten the flexible sheet across the stretcher frame. 12. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising, before extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient, raising the patient from the patient support structure. 13. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising forming channels under the patient, wherein extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure under the patient comprises extending the extending members of the lateral transfer structure through the channels under the patient. 14. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the stretcher comprises a backrest, the method further comprising: after retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, inclining the backrest. 15. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the stretcher comprises a footrest, the method further comprising: after retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, removing the footrest. 16. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the stretcher comprises a footrest formed from extending footrest members that extend from the stretcher, the method further comprising: after retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, retracting the extending footrest members that form the footrest. 17. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the stretcher comprises a headrest, the method further comprising: after retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, removing the headrest. 18. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the stretcher comprises a headrest formed from extending headrest members that extend from the stretcher, the method further comprising: after retracting the stretcher formed from the extending members and the flexible sheet to transfer the patient from the patient support structure onto the wheeled base of the patient transfer device, retracting the extending headrest members that form the headrest.