Recently, Elizabethtown College’s School of Sciences and Health received a generous donation of an occupational therapy rehabilitation system from Guldmann. The cutting-edge Guldmann GH3 ceiling lift system provides the safe handling of patients, promoting early mobilization and faster rehabilitation.
The donated equipment, installed in Esbenshade Hall, will be utilized in Etown’s Occupational Therapy courses, allowing students to simulate real clinical scenarios in ICU settings, patient rooms, and rehabilitation clinics.
“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.”
Etown students recently received a demonstration on how to use the patient-handling system, led by alumna Hannah Weaver ’21, M’22, who serves as Progressive Mobility Consultant at Guldmann North America. Weaver returned to campus in July to lead a hands-on session for Master of Science (M.S.) in Occupational Therapy students in Elizabethtown College Professor of Occupational Therapy 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.”
The demonstration highlighted the therapeutic capabilities of the system, which combines traditional patient transfer functions with dynamic body weight support to facilitate clinical training, early mobility, gait training, and functional ADLs (activities of daily living).
Previously, Panchik and his students traveled off campus to the Center for Healthcare Innovation at Lancaster General Health to use the technology for hands-on training. With the equipment now residing on campus, students will have direct access to transformative learning opportunities within the 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. “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.”
About Elizabethtown College’s Occupational Therapy (OT) Program
Through Etown’s distinctive Occupational Therapy program, students can start and finish their educational journey at Etown by graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and earning a five-year, entry-level Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) degree or a six-year, entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) from the College. Etown’s Occupational Therapy program is the second-oldest accredited program in Pennsylvania, earning accreditation in 1976. Discover more.
