System And Method For Positioning A Patient

A method of positioning a patient supported on a sheet that is located on a mattress, the mattress having a first set of retainers located along a first side of the mattress and a second set of retainers located along a second side of the mattress, opposite the first side, the first and second set of retainers retaining respective first and second side edges of the sheet, a clamp connected to a pulling device positioned above the mattress, the method comprising:

• releasing the first side edge of the sheet from the first set of retainers;
• grasping the first side edge of the sheet with the clamp;
• and
• causing the pulling device to pull the clamp and thus the sheet upwards so as to at least partially reposition the patient from an initial position toward the second side of the mattress.

A system for positioning a patient lying on a mattress supported on a bed, comprising:

• a sheet residing on the mattress under the patient, the sheet having first and second side edges that are retained by retainers located along corresponding opposing longitudinal first and second sides of the mattress;
• a pulling device located above the mattress;
• and
• a clamp operatively connected to the pulling device and adapted to compressively engage opposite sides of the first side edge of the sheet after the first side edge has been removed from the respective retainers, to thereby secure the sheet to the clamp and enable the pulling device to be operated so as to pull in an upward direction the clamp and the sheet secured thereto, whereby the upward movement of the secured sheet causes the patient to be repositioned toward a second longitudinal side of the mattress opposite the first longitudinal side.