How to apply a sling
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.
A sling supports an arm injury and reduces pain.
Step by step
Check
Pulse, sensation and movement of the hand. [1]
Position
Forearm across the chest, elbow at about 90 degrees. [1]
Place
Sling under the forearm, strap around the neck. [1]
Adjust
Hand slightly higher than the elbow, fingers visible. [1]
Pad
Knot or buckle to the side of the neck, padded. [1]
Swathe and recheck
Optional swathe around the body; recheck the hand. [1]
Common errors
- Hand hanging below the elbow.
- Fingers hidden.
- Knot on the spine.
Practice it in Making Synapses
In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
Making Synapses cases that train this skill
- Scoliosis
- Rotator cuff tear
- Osteoporosis
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Tourette disorder
- Complex regional pain syndrome
7 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library
Sources
- NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow OpenStax, Clinical Nursing Skills (reference). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.