Roller board vs slider

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Specializes in Surgery.

Hello! I'm trying to find research regarding Roller Boards vs Slider Boards.

My surgical department has recently acquired a brand new management team (Director, Manager, Charge). Their management style leads them to implement changes without consulting nor informing the staff. New stuff just shows up. The most recent, and quite significant, event is the removal of all roller boards that have been replaced by slider boards. No inservice. No explanation.

Numerous RN's and techs have challenged this change and been told "we'll keep an old roller board in this storage room if you need it."

Slider boards are high friction...and recommended for pt's under 157 lbs..according to the small amount of info I could find. 95% of our pt's are well over that benchmark! Staff complaints and concerns are being completely disregarded, and it's OUR back injuries the hospital is going to end up paying for!

Have any of you seen a study or documentation of the benefits v drawbacks between these two products? I could really use some back up informational smarts from y'all!! THANK YOU!!!

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I just wanted to say, grrrr!!!! That stinks, we all use roller boards and have no intention of going to a slider board. Slider boards are good if going from stretcher to bed but NOT OR table to stretcher! Curious as to why they changed...evidence based?? Can't really find anything either.

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Specializes in Surgery.

They are saying because roller boards cause more patient injuries. So I asked...how many injuries have we had? The answer..none. So, why did we switch? Blank stare.

Truth be told...our new charge nurse used them at the surgery center she worked at...she likes them. So...they changed them.

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My hospitals roller boards don't support bariatric patients, but our slider boards do.

So I don't think one or the other is preferable for heavier patients. I imagine they likely make both for larger patients

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You're lucky, my OR has neither. We place garbage bags under the sheet to create a slide effect. I hate it and want to scream everyday

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I am so glad you are discussing this. I work at a facility that uses sliders. These are not slider boards like some others are posting. It has nothing hard in it. I agree that the majority of problems come when the patient is over 150lbs. I also don't like how subjective the way you use the slider is. Some like a sheet on top of it, others don't, should the stretcher be in or out before we turn to place the slider. The technique for the roller board is universal. In addition, I think it gives poor pt. alignment after the move. Patients are often moved again for repositioning and removing it isn't easy. This is my first facility that I use it and to never again.

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Specializes in Surgery.

Wow! We trialed those and said ‘NOPE'! Sorry you're stuck with them! It just seems logical that the potential for staff back injuries would factor into these decisions.

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