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Nursing vocabulary · Basic Care and Mobility

Hoist

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/hɔɪst/nounCommon term

In nursing, hoist means: A piece of lifting equipment with a fabric sling, used to move a patient who cannot stand, for example from the bed to a chair.

In Turkish: hasta kaldırma lifti, hasta lifti, transfer lifti

How it is used

A British word; Americans say 'mechanical lift' or 'patient lift'. Usually two trained staff use a hoist together, with the right size of sling for the patient. Nurses also use it as a verb: 'hoisting a patient', 'She needs hoisting for all transfers.'

Example sentences

  1. Mr Çelik needs the hoist to get from the bed to the chair.

  2. Can you help me with the hoist in bay C? It needs two people.

Common collocations

  • use a hoist
  • hoist transfer
  • hoist sling
  • ceiling hoist
  • standing hoist
  • mobilizeTo get a patient moving by sitting up, standing or walking, especially after an operation or a period in bed.
  • repositionTo change the position of a patient in bed or in a chair, to relieve pressure on the skin, make them comfortable or help their breathing.
  • fall riskHow likely a patient is to fall, judged from things like age, medicines, confusion, poor balance or earlier falls.
  • personal careHelp with the everyday tasks of looking after the body, such as washing, dressing, using the toilet, mouth care and shaving.

More terms: Basic Care and Mobility

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.