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Ceiling Lift Donation Supports Occupational Therapy Training

Student practicing safe patient handling in a Guldmann Repositioning Sling during occupational therapy training at Elizabethtown College.

Hands-on experience

Recently, Guldmann donated a GH3+ ceiling lift with Trainer Module to Elizabethtown College’s School of Sciences and Health. This new system will enable students to practice safe patient handling techniques, supporting early mobilization and promoting faster rehabilitation outcomes.

The GH3+ will be integrated into Elizabethtown’s Occupational Therapy curriculum, allowing students to simulate realistic clinical environments such as intensive care units, patient rooms, and rehabilitation settings.

“We are deeply grateful to Guldmann for this transformative gift,” Elizabethtown College Dean of the School of Sciences and Health Alan Utter said. “This advanced system will give our Occupational Therapy students access to hands-on, real-world learning experiences right here on campus. This donation not only enriches their training today, but also strengthens the skills they’ll carry into their clinical practice and professional careers.”

This past summer, Hannah Weaver, Guldmann’s Progressive Mobility Consultant and an Elizabethtown College alumna, returned to campus to lead a hands-on training session for Professor Daniel Panchik’s acute care course.

“As students prepare to enter the workforce, they are increasingly likely to encounter this type of equipment,” Weaver said. “My goal is to ensure they gain hands-on exposure to the system, understanding both how it works and how it can significantly enhance patient care while also keeping therapists safe as they deliver high-quality occupational therapy services.”

During the demonstration, students explored the system’s therapeutic capabilities, which go beyond the standard patient transfers. The GH3+ combines traditional lifting functions with dynamic body-weight support, enabling training in early mobility, gait rehabilitation, and functional activities of daily living (ADLs).

From Off-Campus to On-Campus

Previously, Professor Panchik and his students traveled off campus to the Center for Healthcare Innovation in Lancaster, PA for this type of practical training. Now, with the equipment located on campus, students can engage in transformative learning opportunities directly within their classroom.

“By having the opportunity to interact with this equipment in their courses, our students will use what they learn here not only during upcoming fieldwork, but throughout their careers,” Panchik said. 

Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lift with Trainer Module installed at Elizabethtown College, enabling occupational therapy students to practice safe patient handling techniques.

“This technology has advanced significantly in recent years. Not only does it assist in transferring patients safely, but it also assists in facilitating early mobility. We are grateful to Guldmann for this donation.”

Professor Daniel Panchik

Expanding Clinical Scenarios

This donation has also sparked new discussions about the growing role of ceiling lift systems in healthcare, particularly in rehabilitation settings, where they are increasingly becoming the standard of care.

Building on this partnership, Hannah Weaver, Professor Panchik, and Dr. Utter plan to collaborate further, developing additional clinical scenarios for an upcoming neurorehabilitation course at Elizabethtown College.

Occupational therapy students at Elizabethtown College practicing patient transfer exercises using the Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lift with Trainer Module.
  • Student practicing safe patient handling in a Guldmann Repositioning Sling during occupational therapy training at Elizabethtown College.
  • Guldmann Progressive Mobility Consultant leading an occupational therapy training session with the GH3+ ceiling lift and Trainer Module at Elizabethtown College.
  • Occupational therapy students at Elizabethtown College practicing patient transfer exercises using the Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lift with Trainer Module.
  • Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lift with Trainer Module installed at Elizabethtown College, enabling occupational therapy students to practice safe patient handling techniques.