For Bariatric Patients, Let the ELK Do the Lifting

As the number of bariatric patients only increases, so does the rate of provider back injuries. The cumulative effect of lifting so many large patients certainly takes its toll, so any product that takes the strain off the provider’s back is a welcome one.

The Mangar ELK bariatric lifting cushion was introduced in the U.S. by Oak Pointe Medical in 2003, and since then the lightweight, portable emergency lifting cushion has proved its worth.

Captain Thomas Colombo, EMS coordinator for the Southfield (MI) Fire Department, which was the first agency in the U.S. to utilize the Mangar ELK, says the need for a bariatric lifting assistant is not going away. “We just lifted a fellow last week who was 700 pounds-plus easily.”

Colombo says the ELK won’t lift a patient off the floor and directly onto a stretcher by itself, but where it’s particularly helpful is for patients who, once you’ve raised them up to a three-quarters standing position, are able to stand on their own. In addition to being easy to use, Colombo says the ELK is also easy to clean and maintain.

“We have five of them,” he says, “and they’ve held up very well. We’ve had them for 10 years and I’ve only recently had to replace a couple compressors. But all the bags and hoses, other than maybe changing a coupling, have all held up and are still in service.”

The battery powered Mangar ELK weighs just eight pounds and folds flat for easy storage. Inflated it can lift up to 1,000 pounds, and it inflates in just 45 seconds.

“I know our people use it a lot,” Colombo says. “I read it in their narratives. And if one ever goes down they’re going to let me know about it right away. Once you’ve use it once, and if you’ve ever strained yourself lifting a patient, you’ll take the extra time and to use it again. It’s just not worth the risk of lifting large patients without it.”

Visit www.oakpointemedical.com.