Education Center Topics Solving Transfers with the Rifton TRAM
Article

Solving Transfers with the Rifton TRAM

Ingenious Solutions from the Field

Elena Noble, MPT | January 2021

The Rifton TRAM provides smooth, safe and easy transfers. Positioning the body support snugly around the client’s torso is key to a successful transfer. However, sometimes the fixed armrests of a wheelchair get in the way of bringing the TRAM close enough. Furthermore, removing the armrests is a tool-dependent and time-consuming process. Here is a simple way to get the TRAM body-support where you need it without removing the armrests of the wheelchair:

  1. Raise the TRAM so the top of the body support is at height of the axilla.

    A man being transferred out of a wheelchair with a Rifton TRAM
  2. Place the body support around individual and loosely secure the buckle. With buckle closed, the TRAM body support will now fit in between the wheelchair arm rests.

    A man being transferred out of a wheelchair with a Rifton TRAM
  3. Lower the TRAM so that body support is positioned at the base of the trunk.

    A man being transferred out of a wheelchair with a Rifton TRAM
  4. Tighten buckle of body support for snug fit.

    A man being transferred out of a wheelchair with a Rifton TRAM
  5. Complete the transfer.

    A man being transferred out of a wheelchair with a Rifton TRAM

 

Topics
SPHM in Schools, Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM)
Article Categories
Tips & Advice

You may also be interested in ...

An elderly woman walking in a Rifton TRAM with the assistance of a caretaker
Article
Part 2: Implementing Early Mobility: The Way of the Future
Many patients returning home after being hospitalized for severe respiratory failure, such as those recovering from COVID-19, are now confronting significant physical, neurological, cognitive and emotional issues. To describe this wide…
An elderly man stepping out of a wheelchair into a Rifton TRAM with the assistance of a caretaker
Article
Part 1: Understanding the Negative Impact of Prolonged ICU Care
Serious adverse health outcomes result directly from prolonged ICU stays. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to understand the negative health impacts of hospitalization. Early mobilization and rehabilitation interventions have the…
A boy walking in a Rifton Pacer gait trainer with the assistance of a caregiver
Article
The Four P’s of Gait Training in the Home
Providing therapy services for your child at home has a unique set of challenges. Here are some tips and ideas for crafting a successful home gait training session.
Back to top
More from SPHM in Schools
A young man using the Rifton Support Station with the assistance of a caretaker
Article
Interprofessional Teamwork Achieves Toileting Success
Here at Maiden Choice School in Baltimore County, MD, we have initiated a program called Maximizing Independence in Life Skills: A Toileting Program for Students with Complex Disabilities. Over the last four years since we began it, this…
A boy and caregiver in a classroom smile at the camera.
Article
Unlikely Funding Source for Adaptive Equipment in Ohio
Employer work-place injury within schools may sound unlikely, but for those health professionals routinely assisting students with disabilities in school, it is not uncommon. In fact, the injury rate of health professionals engaging in…
A client sitting in wheelchair, while a caregiver adjusts the straps of a Rifton TRAM to prepare for a transfer.
Article
Using Thigh Straps in Sling Configuration for Toileting or Seat-to-Seat Transfers
At Desert Mountain SELPA in Apple Valley, California, we’ve discovered a creative solution for seated transfers with the TRAM. This method works really well, particularly for the more profoundly involved kids. Using the standard…
A young client standing and walking with his physical therapist with the aid of a Rifton TRAM.
Article
Tips and Tricks for Getting More Out of Your Rifton TRAM
The Rifton TRAM provides a lot of flexibility within our school setting for standing, walking, and transfers.  Mostly it is used for safe transfers that would typically require a two-person lift.  However, in one of my schools it…
See all SPHM in Schools articles