Device for manipulating bedridden patients

Claim 1

A drawsheet adapted to be releasably secured to the railings of a hospital bed for manipulating a bedridden patient into various positions of rest and suitable for manipulation by a single attendant comprising; a flexible, pliant sheet of porous fabric of a size to underlie the torso of a patient, an absorbent pad member removably received and carried by said sheet, said fabric sheet having a central portion of a width approximately equal to the width of the patient's torso and of a length to underlie the patient's torso from approximately the shoulders to the buttocks and side portions extending outward from said central portion, said sheet being flexible and unreinforced along its entire periphery and along its entire length, said sheet having means to removably receive and carry an absorbent pad in association therewith, releasable fastening means secured on each side of said sheet for removably securing said sheet to the adjacent lower bed railings in an extended position beneath the patient in the supine position, said releasable fastening means comprising a pair of elongated tie-straps secured to each outer side edge of said sheet in a longitudinally spaced relation and having free ends each provided with quick-connect/quick-disconnect securing means, said releasable fastening means on one side being releasable from the lower bed railings on one side of the bed to be refastened on the top bed railings on the other side of the bed where the fastener means remains fastened thereto for holding said sheet to the bed railing in partially encircling relation to the patient's torso in a selected position to insure uniform and comfortable engagement of said sheet and said pad with the patient's torso substantially the length of said sheet, and a pair of handles secured on each side of said sheet and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent respective sides of the bed for moving one side portion of said sheet into partially encircling relation to the torso of the patient and for rolling the patient from a supine position into a position on one of the patient's sides, said handles being spaced apart and positioned toward the opposite ends of said sheet and comprising a pair of generally U-shaped handles of fabric secured to each outer side edge of said sheet in a longitudinally spaced relation permitting differential adjustment of the degree of roll of the upper and lower parts of the patient's torso.