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Epidural Positioning Chair in Labor and Delivery
CategoriesPatient Handling

Leading Epidural Safety

by sphmedicaladmin

Patient and caregiver comfort and safety are at stake when performing spinal blocks before ortho surgeries and epidural placements for expectant mothers. These tasks are so common place in the Pre-Op area of the surgery department and on labor and delivery floors that nursing staff and nursing leadership often don’t consider the risk to their staff and patients.  Safety can be dramatically improved by using the original epidural positioning device. The device provides epidural safety by allowing nurses to position their patients restfully and properly, encouraging lumbar, cervical, and thoracic flexion.

What is an Epidural Positioning Chair?

Epidural positioning chairs came into existence about two decades ago. Invented by a renowned anesthesiologist, these chairs took some inspiration from modern-day massage chairs but have been designed to work in the clinical environment.  They’re created to offer stability, comfort, and accurate positioning in mind.  The chairs are used to ensure correct patient positioning during many different types of procedures. The chairs are widely used to position patients of size and obstetrics, increasing their comfort and safety.  The EPD or epidural positioner offers adjustable arm supports, a tilting and adjustable cushion for the face and head, and chest cushion that provides support and promotes the optimal flexion.  For patients using the EPD, their body position is stabilized which minimizes risk of errors by the anesthesiologist.  We’re finding new uses for the EPD in other areas of the hospital to support patients like the imaging department for Thoracentesis.  The adjustability of the EPD makes it adaptable to many different healthcare settings.

Where Is Epidural Positioning Device Used?

The device is primarily utilized in labor and delivery unit, pain centers, operating rooms, labor rooms, and surgery department units. The device has a variety of uses in the surgery department and also the device is used in medical centers where spinal and epidurals are conducted.  The EPD is the revolutionary alternative to manual positioning, which offers less stability, increases complication risks and puts staff at risk when trying to support or hold a patient in position.  The benefits of the device in departments such as labor and delivery unit where is often utilized have been measurable. The busy surgical department uses the device to prep patients for common ortho surgeries with spinal blocks, while nurses on the labor and delivery unit use it to position patients for epidural placement.  As mentioned above, the EPD has also found its way over to the imaging department where Ultrasound technicians are responsible for prepping patients for Thoracentesis.  The EPD is quickly becoming the standard of care in all three of these hospital departments.

What Are the Benefits of Epidural Safety?

Caregivers and nurses use epidural chairs in preoperative environments to position patients properly and seamlessly position their bodies steadily and comfortably. Unlike the manual task of positioning patients for a spinal block or epidural, which require holding stools or patients steadily so they don’t move an inch which clearly increases risk of injury to the caregiver, an epidural chair is comfortable and ergonomic. With these chairs, the risk of musculoskeletal injuries is significantly reduced by allowing the EPD to provide the support, not the nurse.  The following are the main benefits of using epidural positioning devices for epidural positioning.

  • The epidural chairs minimize strains, sprains and risk of musculoskeletal injuries
  • They encourage thoracic, lumbar, and cervical flexion, maintaining a stable and comfortable position
  • It maximizes patient comfort while some safe distancing for staff
  • Correct positioning increases the potential for needle placement accuracy, minimizing the risk of complications.
  • The EPD improves patient confidence, security, and satisfaction

Features of the Epidural Positioning Chair – the EPD

When considering the epidural positioning chair, you should consider the following features

  • Well-designed and portable with wheels that easily lock in place
  • A comfortable and adjustable face rest designed to attain and maintain perfect cervical flexion
  • Ergonomically designed armrest to offer enough stability and comfort to a patients’ arms
  • Lightweight and stable design
  • Adjustable and relaxingly designed footrest
  • 600lb weight capacity
  • Adjustable torso support to offer quality thoracic and lumbar flexion

The possible applications of epidural positioning chairs and the benefits the EPD can deliver to a healthcare facility are numerous. Patient and staff injuries and high risk of complications have been common issues medical facilities deal with regularly. With these efficient and effective positioning devices in place, the staff injury cases have been virtually eliminated while patient complications have significantly reduced. For the industry leading EPD used for Epidurals, spinal blocks and thoracentesis, along with any other safe patient handling to reduce workplace injuries, healthcare facilities must contact SPH Medical.

CategoriesPatient Handling

A Nurses Story About Safe Patient Handling

by sphmedicaladmin

You went into nursing because you wanted to help people feel better and become healthy. You knew you’d need to take care of yourself to keep up with all the running around, standing, bending, stretching, lifting, and general patient care. You also knew that providing face-to-face, hands-on, eye-to-eye care was a calling of the soul, not just a career. No robotic technology can ever replace the human touch and ability to provide hands on patient care, this includes safe patient handling practices. Personal interaction gives reassurance, hope, warmth, and a feeling of safety. Numerous studies celebrate the benefits of feel-good endorphins relieving pain and promoting healing.

Early in their professional training, nurses and aides learn about the hazards of immobility: the physical and emotional dangers of staying in the same position for long periods of time. Movement during and after recovery is life-saving for patients. Another part of training is the necessity for aides and nurses to use good body mechanics to protect their own bodies. Bad backs end careers. Poor lifting techniques result in back injuries, but so does the accumulation of micro-injuries repeated over time. Instructors emphasize the necessity of prioritizing safety by getting help instead of trying to perform a risky task alone.

In the real world, though, new nurses and aides were in for a shock as they encountered the reality of working in the healthcare field.  In the past, tight budgets usually opted for physical labor over technology. As a new nurse, you didn’t realize how much manual lifting, limb holding, pushing, and pulling was required to perform general patient care tasks all day long. While working on the Medical floor, I cared for 5 patients that required boosting, turning, assistance out of bed, ambulation assistance, toilet transfers, dressing changes, linen changes, limb holding and more. These were all manual tasks that took their toll on my back, neck and shoulders. Even when we had help from a second nurse, one person seemed to be doing more of the work. Even with two people it wasn’t safe.

How do patients feel when they call for assistance but end up waiting long periods of time before anybody comes? How is it lying in cold urine until a lone staff member limps in, unable to find an available second helper? Statistics reveal that a major cause of falls in medical settings is patients trying to get up instead of waiting for help. Nurses and aides alike will agree that one of the things patients overwhelmingly want most is assistance getting comfortable or going to the bathroom. Sadly, patients often confess feeling guilty calling for help from their exhausted aides and nurses, confiding that they don’t want to be a burden, either emotionally or physically. And they don’t have to!

Innovative biomedical engineers have designed wonderful products that make life better for people with illnesses and disabilities. Considering the miracles that modern technology has achieved, nurses, aides, and patients benefit in the following ways when using the RoWalker for early Mobility, MiniLift200 for sit to stand transfers, the breathable repositioning sheet for boosting and turning, the EPD for help during epidurals and spinal blocks, and the SPH Medical Air Assisted Transfer System because lateral transfers and boosting occurs everywhere:

  • Improved patient mobility
  • Reduced Risk of falls
  • Improvement in strength and endurance
  • Reduction in delirium
  • Reduced risk of injury to hospital staff
  • Reduced friction on patients skin
  • Improved staff morale
  • Nursing retention and career longevity

Facilities such as hospitals, surgery centers, extended care facilities, rehab centers, day centers, and private homes also benefit.

Repositioning injuries from pulling patients up in bed or readjusting their joint alignment with pillows is common in nursing staff.  This boosting task is also one of the most frequent causes of injury to nurses.  The Lateral Transfer, that is helping with a patient move from the bed to a wheelchair, recliner, or stretcher, is often the riskiest because the patient’s full weight is involved.  Patients often move and shift during repositioning and lateral transfers. Newton’s Second Law of Motion (describing a force to equal to mass plus velocity over time) translates to Nursing Injury, staff reduction, compromise in patient care, and increased hospital costs.  Gait belts and draw sheets we thought were better than nothing but they can transmit infection, disturb wound dressings, and cause pinching and abrasion of delicate skin.  There are safer methods now to lift, move, transfer, hold, and ambulate patients using modern safe patient handling techniques that are simple and easy to use.

Not only can they save staff members time and energy, but they inspire patient confidence in medical facilities. Investing in equipment that protects staff and benefits patients offers a proven Return On Investment because it proves to staff and patients alike corporation recognizes and values their work, safety, and cares about their welfare.  Patients also see how the administration functions as a team instead of driving their workforce to exhaustion.

Assistive devices to aid in lateral transfers such as the SPH Medical Air Mat have the ability to save hospitals hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct medical expenses not to mention the indirect cost of staff injuries that are estimated to be three to ten times the cost of direct medical expenses.

This nurse for one is thankful that modern Safe Patient Handling has arrived.  I just wish it was here 30 years ago! I left the workforce with a severe back injury coupled with damaged shoulders and too many strains and sprains to count. Please investigate the appropriate assistive devices for your healthcare environment by consulting the experts at SPH Medical. I know they would be happy to help.

CategoriesPatient Handling

Safe Positioning During Epidurals

by sphmedicaladmin

Epidural Pain Relief: Positioning Device

An Epidural Chair is a positioning device that helps keep patients and nursing staff safe. The EPD provides safe positioning during epidurals by reducing risk of injury and providing a comfortable and stable position throughout epidural or spinal block injections and other similar procedures. The EPD is a massive improvement over manual positioning techniques, where nurses would provide an unstable bedside table with a pillow to lean on and then somehow position the patients feet on a stool or chair. The old fashioned manual handling method of positioning patients presents many risks to staff and patients that the Epidural Chair solves with ease.

The EPD is a revolutionary, modern patient positioning device that can typically be found in three hospital departments including Labor and Delivery, Surgery, and Imaging. In the Labor and Delivery unit expectant mothers are positioned safely for an epidural injection to reduce the pain of labor and childbirth. The surgery department is using the EPD for Spinal Blocks which are now commonplace for ortho surgeries. Those patients about to undergo surgery for a total knee often get a Spinal Block and the hospital staff are faced with positioning them safely just like the L&D patients. The imaging department is typically using the EPD to position patients during Thoracentesis; a procedure that involves draining the plural cavity between the lungs from excess fluid. In all cases the Epidural Chair provides a stable and comfortable platform that improves staff safety by removing the manual handling, positioning, and static holds. It also prevents unexpected reflex movement and spinal block by using the device’s adjustable features.

Importance of Safe Positioning During Epidurals

Proper positioning involves properly maintaining a neutral body alignment and flexed spine position to open up the vertebral spaces to enable correct needle placement while avoiding unexpected patient movement.

Stable, Comfortable, and Safe

Preparing for childbirth or a joint replacement can’t be described as comfortable. However hospital staff try their best to make patients feel comfortable and safe. In the past the nurse assisting the patient would be doing all patient care tasks manually, meaning that they would be pushing, pulling and holding patients to achieve the proper positioning. Now nursing and anesthesia technicians have the EPD. The EPD provides a stable platform for the patient to lean on and hold rather than the nurse.  It improves patient comfort with the soft padded surfaces and reduces patients’ anxiety. Patient safety and staff safety are improved with the SPH Medical Epidural Chair.

Maintaining Patients’ Dignity

As patients are getting larger and heavier hospital staff are faced with patient care tasks that put them at risk of injury.  Often times patients of significant size feel self conscious about their weight and the need for extra hospital staff to assist them compared to normal sized patients. Using the right type of assistive tools like the SPH Medical EPD. The EPD has a 600 lb weight capacity enables nursing staff to use one standardized device for all patients and provides safe positioning during epidurals.  It no longer has to be an exception or all hands on deck call to other staff members to come and help support this patient. The use of the EPD can improve a patients’ sense of dignity and satisfaction about the care they received in the hospital.

Maximum Visibility and Access

The EPD helps the patient achieve the optimum position for needle placement and reduces the risk of complications below.Improve Patient and Nurse Safety with EPD

Risks to the Patient

Epidural injections are typically safe, but they have certain side effects that affect people differently. The side effects include:

  • Low blood pressure. Your blood pressure may fall slightly after having an epidural. In some patients, the situation escalates, increasing the odds of other dangers to a subject.
  • Inadequate pain relief. The injection may not block your pain entirely.
  • Breathing problems. This is common in patients with respiratory-related complications.
  • Temporal nerve damage. Though uncommon, the needle can damage the nerves when handled wrongfully.
  • Infections. They are primarily skin-related conditions around the injected area.

The EPD Provides Safe Positioning During Epidurals:

  • Patients’ Fear and Anxiety resulting in sudden movements.  Nurses supporting a patient manually are at risk of injury when a patient makes a sudden movement in the wrong direction.
  • Holding or supporting patients – ie static holds
  • Applying counter-pressure
  • Trying to hold onto a patient and the bedside table and a stool all at the same time
  • Catching a falling patient

Transmission of infections is a concern in hospital and surgical departments. Hospital staff have infection prevention nurses that develop evidence based plans for the hospital and every department. Using an EPD has been an essential tool during the era of COVID-19. It allows for a fewer nurses to provide safe positioning during epidurals with minimal contact and it is easily cleaned and disinfected.

SPH Medical and Safe Positioning During Epidurals

In conclusion, the Epidural Positioning Device, or Epidural Chair, is a valuable if not essential tool that can improve both patient safety and nursing safety in multiple hospital departments.

Improve Epidural Safety with the EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

Equal Safety for Patients and Nurses During Epidurals

by sphmedicaladmin

The epidural positioning device is used in Labor and Delivery Unit to improve the positioning of patients during epidurals and in the surgical area for spinal blocks. Its main function is to provide support for the patient during the procedure and to minimize risk of injury to the caregiver. Epidural pain relief provides comfort for patients by reducing back pain by positioning them properly. It also helps in increasing the speed and accuracy of epidural injections. The device can be used in sitting, reclining, standing, or lying down.

Risks of Epidurals and Spinal Block Procedure to Patients

The surgery department is using the EPD to position patients for Spinal Blocks. Surgeons are now opting to use Spinal Blocks for their patients and many common surgical procedures due to the fast recovery time. Perioperative staff are now busier than every administering them. In addition to the manual patient handling required by surgical staff to position patients without them moving suddenly, Spinal Block procedures involve many risks to patients. These risks are often caused by wrong positioning during the procedure. Patients can be positioned in any way. However, if they are not placed correctly, there is a risk of injuring some parts of the body, like nerve endings and blood vessels that transport oxygen to different parts of the body.

The risks include:

a) Nerve damage

Injury to nerve endings is the most common problem during epidural injections procedures. The damage can cause numbness and pain in patients’ legs, arms, or spine.

b) Blood vessel damage

Direct injury to blood vessels that provide oxygen to different body parts occurs by wrong positioning during the procedure. The damage can cause problems with blood flow and lead to severe medical conditions.

c) Back pain and discomfort

Inaccuracy of injections can cause back ligaments, tendons, or muscle tissues. This may lead to severe pain in these parts. There is a risk of injuries if patients lie down while they get epidurals instead of sitting upright position where weight distribution favors the accuracy of epidural needle placement.

d) Procedure time increase

Incorrect patient positioning during the procedure causes slow speed and accuracy in injecting medicine into the body or blocking the spinal cord. It increases the actual procedures time, which hospitals have to pay more money for longer treatments, which is mostly not affordable.

Benefits of Proper Positioning During Epidurals

The use of epidural positioning device in the surgery department helps position patients precisely so that the risks associated with incorrect positioning and stability are minimized.

The benefits of using this device are:

a)Increased accuracy of injections

EPD helps properly place an epidural needle into the spinal cord, which results in more accurate injections. This means a faster procedure with less pain and discomfort for patients.

b) Reduced back pain

The device helps in reducing back pain and discomfort by comfortably positioning patients. It makes the procedure less painful for them, and they can relax during the treatment.

c) Reduced risk of nerve and blood vessel damage

When patients are positioned correctly with the epidural chair, there is a reduced risk of injuring nerve endings or blood vessels. This decreases the chances of injury that might cause numbness, pain, or lesions.

d) Reduced procedure time

The device helps reduce the duration of epidural injection procedures by increasing the accuracy of injections. It reduces costs for patients as the hospital will not charge them more money for more extended treatment. Also, it is beneficial from hospitals’ point because they don’t have to pay more money for more lengthy procedures.

e) Improved patient comfort and satisfaction

The use of epidural positioning device during epidurals provides the maximum possible comfort level for patients during the procedure. The epidural pain relief device improves patients’ overall experience with this treatment to be satisfied with it. Also, increased injections accuracy helps them reduce back pain and discomfort, which makes them feel better during the treatment.

Risks to Nurses

Nurses are also at risk during both the epidural and the spinal block procedures if the patient is not positioned correctly and supported well to avoid movement.
Some of the risks to nurse are:

  • Back pain and discomfort
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Strains and Sprains
  • Severe musculoskeletal injuries that affect their ability to work in the future
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition where the nerves around the wrist get compressed and results in pain, numbness, and tingling sensation in the fingers.

Nurses Leaders are recommending that their nurses should use the EPD to minimize these risks and provide better patient care. The device helps in the safe and accurate positioning of patients, which reduces the chances of any injury or discomfort. It makes their job easier, and they can provide better care to patients with less risk.

The epidural chair helps in improving safety and comfort for patients getting an epidural injection in the surgery department. It helps reduce back pain and discomfort by positioning patients correctly, improving procedure time by increasing the accuracy of injections, and overall patient satisfaction.

The EPD should be appropriately used to avoid risks related to incorrect patient positioning. Nurses in the labor and delivery unit can also use this device to position themselves correctly while working so that they are less likely to get injured during the procedure.

Air Powered Transfer and Positioning System
Categoriesair transfer systems

Lateral Transfers and The Risk of Positioning a Patient in Hospitals

by sphmedicaladmin

You may think hospitals are safe workplaces, but they are actually among the most dangerous. In fact, a study by OSHA found that, at hospitals, 7 out of 100 full-time employees sustain an injury. Medical staff in hospitals must perform strenuous physical activity all day long. In both the ICU and OR, the medical team handles lateral transfers of patients who require total care. It is not unusual for a nurse to transfer a patient from bed to CT table, OR table, gurney, and back again. Nursing staff perform this task dozens of times, along with patient repositioning, turning, and boosting, making it clear why nurses are prone to repositioning injuries.

What are lateral transfers?

Lateral transfers and patient repositioning involve moving a patient from one surface to another, like a bed to a gurney. Most of this work is done manually by a few medical staff members, placing them at risk for injury. In fact, the American Nursing Association estimates that nurses move an average of 1.8 tons per eight-hour shift. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the high movement level among medical professionals puts them at risk for 31.1 percent more musculoskeletal disorders. Due to the friction between sheets and boards, this makes this task unsafe. Improper positioning can lead to injury or even death for the patient. All departments of the hospital perform transfer and repositioning tasks. The intensive care unit, emergency room, radiology, medical units, and surgery are among them.

The Costs and Consequences of Injury Due to Lateral Transfers

The consequences of occupational musculoskeletal injuries are detrimental to nurses. Beside the cost of medical expenses, litigation, disability compensation, and nursing injuries are also expensive due to absenteeism, chronic pain, functional disability, and turnover. Approximately 20% of nurses leave direct patient care jobs for safety reasons. According to statistics, the healthcare industry spends roughly $20 billion annually on direct and indirect costs associated with back injuries. In addition, employees who suffer from pain and fatigue may be less attentive, less productive, more prone to further injuries, and may consequently have a negative effect on the health and safety of others.

The Federal Government is aware of the increased risk of repositioning injury and nursing injury in the medical industry. In 2015, the national government passed new legislation governing patient handling to protect nurses and healthcare workers. This Act aims to make healthcare facilities a safer place to work for caregivers.

There are options to reduce forces and the risk of injuries, making it safe for medical staff. One option is air transfer devices. In this article, we will define the devices and highlight their benefits.

What are Air-Powered Lateral Transfer Systems?

An air-powered system is used to elevate patients in bed, reducing another potentially hazardous task known as “boosting a patient” or repositioning. The system comprises a hose, an inflatable pad, an easy-to-use air supply, and a power cord. A pump is inserted into the pad when the patient is positioned on the air-powered lateral transfer system. As soon as the mattress is inflated, the patient can be moved. The air-powered systems include straps that hold the patient securely during lateral transfers. They have convenient handles that make it easy for nurses to transfer patients between surfaces.

In most cases, patients’ lifting or pulling weight is reduced to about ten percent of their body weight. There is virtually no friction under the pad when moving from one surface to another, so moving patients can be done with minimal caregiver exertion. This reduces nurse injuries.

Benefits of SPH Medical’s Air Transfer System

A hospital’s primary concern is protecting the long-term health of its employees. Air-powered systems provide a solution that requires less labor from hospital staff. Two staff members can transfer a patient safely rather than waiting for at least 4 staff members to perform the transfer. The air-powered systems also provide a safer, less strenuous, and more dignified way for patients to be handled. The Air Transfer System allows patients to float between surfaces easily. There is less risk of bruises, bumps, or manual handling during transfers. Using these systems can drastically reduce the amount of stress on nursing staff. This reduces the risk of injuries from predictable and repetitive patient handling tasks. Healthcare facilities are investing more in disposable pads considering the recent COVID-19 pandemic concerns.

Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress

Having a single patient use air transfer mattress is the backbone of any safe patient handling program. Why? It solves the high-risk and high-frequency manual patient handling tasks. This mat aims to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections by reducing cross-contamination and solving the laundry dilemma (things frequently get lost in the laundry or take days/weeks to return to the unit!) It creates a thin air cushion beneath an inflated mattress that reduces friction and allows patients to float. The benefits include:

  • Inventory management is easier
  • Accessible to nurses
  • Eliminates the need to do laundry
  • Reduce the risk of infection and cross-contamination
  • Proven and cost-effective.
  • Breathable and can remain under patients for a long time

Conclusion

Transferring patients is one of the most common tasks performed by hospital personnel. This can be tricky work, especially when the forces involved in these lateral transfers are high, posing a significant risk of musculoskeletal injury for caregivers. Caregivers can avoid injury by using friction-reducing devices like the SPH Medical Air Transfer and Positing System. These devices reduce the force required to complete the transfer and make this task much safer.

EPD solves patient positioning
CategoriesPatient Handling

The Use of EPD in Epidural Pain Relief

by sphmedicaladmin

An epidural is a frequent procedure used to offer pain relief or numbness during labor and childbirth and some surgeries and chronic pain. An epidural pain relief is a technique that involves injecting a medicine into the spine’s epidural space, either an anesthetic or a steroid. This technique is used to offer pain relief or a total loss of feeling in a specific area of your body, such as your legs or abdomen. It aids in blocking pain signals from the spine to the brain. The anesthetic blocks pain signals by numbing the spinal nerves. It relieves discomfort for women in labor or having a cesarean section. This anesthetic is particularly effective at blocking discomfort from labor contractions and during delivery. You can normally move and control pushing of the baby when you have an epidural.

The Epidural Positioning Device

A distinguished anesthesiologist created the first epidural positioning device about two decades ago to improve patient and staff safety. The EPD has now become the gold standard of positioning devices. The Surgery Department and the Labor and Delivery Unit benefit the most from this development.

When it comes to positioning patients safely and decreasing the risk of injury to caregivers and medical personnel, the device helps keep patients safe while also reducing the risk of injury to caregivers and medical staff. The EPD is most commonly used to position a patient for an epidural placement but is also used in other areas of the hospital to position patients.  The EPD has numerous advantages for both nursing staff and caregivers.

An epidural chair has a stable foundation. It quickly locks into place and has several adjustable features to ensure that each patient is in the best possible posture for the treatment.  The following adjustable features:

  • Height adjustability
  • Tilting Paded Face Rest Cushion
  • Foot Plate
  • Depth Adjustable Chest Cushion
  • Arm Rests
  • Locking Wheels

Why Is Proper Positioning Important for Epidural Pain Relief

The Epidural Chair improves safety by appropriately positioning and supporting a patient for a successful procedure, the first and most visible advantage.

Complication risk is reduced. There is a considerable risk of complications due to the unique and strenuous nature of patient posture during spinal blocks and epidural treatments. With this device, caregivers don’t have to rely on their body positioning to keep the patient secure.

Anesthesiologists have also used the technology for various types of spinal blocks as a result of its success in delivery aid, providing epidural pain relief during various procedures.

What is Epidural Pain Relief and What Is the Risk to The Patient?

In the past, the nurse or medical assistant was responsible for manually positioning the patient, which increased the risk of injury or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Assisting with epidural procedures is one of the known high-risk tasks for nurses. Modifying the task or implementing engineering controls to eliminate the risk is the greatest strategy to lessen the chance of injury. Your team will benefit from the positioning devices engineering control and risk reduction.

Patients benefit from an epidural positioning device because it provides a stable base. When the patient is positioned correctly, the caregiver can rely on the device rather than their body weight to keep the patient in the best posture for the treatment. These advantages significantly minimize the risk of problems during a spinal block and epidurals.

Patient Positioning Challenges

  • During epidural and spinal block placements, clinicians in the Labor and Delivery Unit, Surgery Department, and pain clinics face various demanding scenarios.
  • Holding a patient in place poses a risk to the staff’s safety.
  • Pillows stacked on non-locking tables endanger patients’ safety.
  • Patients on medication may find it challenging to maintain the correct position.
  • Keeping a stool in place while supporting a patient is a difficult task.
  • Patients may have an unanticipated reaction and try to move.
  • Patients may feel dizzy or queasy, causing them to move around.

With this Epidural assisting device, the patient is in a safe, secure, and comfortable position. It is the responsibility of hospitals and medical facilities to ensure the safety of their nurses and support staff. Providing the necessary equipment is part of the plan to keep employees injury-free. While assisting with traditional positioning methods connected with epidurals and similar procedures like spinal blocks in the OR and Thoracentesis in the imaging department, positioning devices reduce over exertion, body strain and risk of injury to nurses. It’s critical to keep nurses and hospital workers in good health to function at their best.

Safety and Protection | SPH Medical
CategoriesInfection Prevention

Authentic N95 Masks

by sphmedicaladmin

The Future of N95 Masks for Healthcare and the General Public

As SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to spread, first responders, healthcare workers and the general public, especially those at high risk from the virus, need to know that they’ve received the best protection possible against airborne fluid and particle transmission. The majority of medical and research experts agree that cloth masks do nothing more than create a false sense of protection. Three-ply surgical masks, although better than single- or double-layer cloth options, fail to provide a tight enough fit at the sides of the face and doubling these masks with cloth ones still doesn’t protect well enough. Authentic N95 masks are confirmed by NIOSH as a product that offers a certain level of protection from airborne liquid and solid particles.

Which Masks Work Best?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) both agree that N95 medical and non-medical respirator-style masks certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provide the most protection. An authentic NIOSH N95 mask is confirmed by NIOSH as a product that offers a certain level of protection from airborne liquid and solid particles. The “95” guarantees that the N95 mask provides at least 95 percent filtration efficiency.

Yet, alternative suppliers and speculators have been importing masks from both legitimate and illegitimate manufacturers in an attempt to capitalize today on the short-term and long-term safety of our first responders, healthcare workers and the country at large. In an attempt to quickly make money off the need for this critical tool, some sellers have flooded the market with fake N95 masks or turned to price gouging by selling their products for three or more times the industry standard amount for consumer sales.

What Does All of This Mean for the Future?

Although SARS-CoV-2 might eventually become endemic, all experts agree that we can expect new variants to appear over time. Additionally, some populations can’t receive vaccinations and recent hospital surges proved that spread and breakthrough cases in vaccinated populations do also occur with this virus. Every woman, man and child are going to need access to affordable, authentic N95 masks to protect themselves and others. The key words to remember are “affordable” and “authentic.”

Without every person wearing an N95 mask like the Makrite model 9500-N95 or Makrite Sekura-X that qualify as both, we can expect more hospital surges, worsening employment and economic outcomes and a greater loss of life in the future. New trends in the global and national markets also show that the demand for these types of masks is only going to increase as time passes and more people accept mask wearing as a normal part of their daily lives that’s no different than wearing a shirt and shoes in a store or a seatbelt in a motor vehicle. First responders and medical personnel especially will continue to seek authentic NIOSH N95 options rated specifically for medical and surgical settings. They need to know that they’re using masks that give them the most protection and comfort.

High Quality NIOSH N95 Masks

The firm, circular surgical Makrite NIOSH model 9500-N95 is one good choice because it creates a tight seal around all nasal and oral facial openings and supplies a combination of airborne contaminant and microorganism and fluid-splatter protection. Instead of looping over the ears, which can cause a mask to fall off small ears and pain, it features two headbands that securely cup the back of the head. It’s available in a universal size and a smaller 9500-N95S size for a better fit for people with small faces. The fluid-resistant Makrite 910-N95FMX is another highly recommended NIOSH N95 mask option. It also features adjustable head straps. The Makrite 910-N95FMX masks differs from the other model because it features a vertical-and-flat-folded design with a less firm shape that molds to people’s faces better. This model of mask also provides more breathing room for better in-mask airflow so that people feel less restricted when wearing masks.

Why Buy From SPH Medical?

Anything can happen when you buy a product online from an unknown retailer. Dozens of fraud cases occur every day, especially on mass marketplace websites that provide services to a lot of competing sellers.

SPH Medical is an authorized Makrite N95 mask distributor, which means that we guarantee that you always receive the actual authentic product or products you purchase from us. Makrite, a Taiwanese company, also didn’t just set up shop once the pandemic started to create a bigger market for masks. They have been in the business of creating NIOSH-approved health and safety products for nearly 40 years. They receive regular audits from NIOSH on-site at their manufacturing facility to confirm that they’re adhering to the strictest standards. Beyond our authorized Makrite N95 mask distributor status, SPH Medical helps people in a wide range of industries decrease potential infection rates and provide better patient and staff safety options. We’ve been proudly providing these types of services for more than a decade now.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that there are few guarantees about what the future might hold for us. That said, SPH Medical can promise that our authentic N95 masks provide you with NIOSH-certified levels of protection while on the job, running errands and visiting with loved ones.

EPD improving Nurse Safety
CategoriesPatient Handling

Nursing Staff Injuries During Epidurals

by sphmedicaladmin

What Is an Epidural? An epidural is a frequent procedure used to offer pain relief or numbness during labor and childbirth and some surgeries and chronic pain. At SPH Medical we are focused on helping to reduce nursing staff injuries during epidurals.

An epidural is a technique that involves injecting a medicine into the spine’s epidural space, either an anesthetic or a steroid. This technique is used to offer pain relief or a total loss of feeling in a specific area of your body, such as your legs or abdomen. It aids in blocking pain signals from the spine to the brain. The anesthetic blocks pain signals by numbing the spinal nerves. It relieves discomfort for women in labor or having a cesarean section. This anesthetic is particularly effective at blocking discomfort from labor contractions and during delivery. An expecting mother can normally move and push her child out when she has an epidural.

The Epidural Positioning Device, Reducing Nursing Staff Injuries

A distinguished anesthesiologist created the first epidural positioning device about two decades ago to improve patient and staff safety. The EPD has now become the gold standard of positioning devices. The Surgery Department and the Labor and Delivery Unit benefit the most from this development.

When it comes to situating patients safely and decreasing the risk of nursing staff injuries during an epidural, the device helps keep patients safe while also reducing the risk of injury to caregivers and medical staff. The EPD is most commonly used to position a patient for an epidural procedure. Still, it is also effective in situating patients safely for various medical procedures and has numerous advantages for both users and caregivers.

An epidural chair has a stable foundation. It quickly locks into place and has adjustable foot platforms, arm rests, face cushion, and chest support to ensure that each patient is in the best possible posture for the procedure.

Why Is Proper Positioning Important?

The Epidural Chair improves safety by appropriately positioning and supporting a patient for a successful procedure, the first and most visible advantage.

Complication risk is reduced. There is a considerable risk of complications due to the unique and strenuous nature of patient posture during spinal blocks and epidural treatments. With this device, caregivers don’t have to rely on their body positioning to keep the patient secure.

Anesthesiologists have also used the technology for various types of spinal blocks as a result of its success in delivery aid, providing epidural pain relief during various procedures.

What Is the Risk to The Patient?

In the past, the nurse or medical assistant was responsible for manually positioning the patient, which increased the risk of injury or musculoskeletal illnesses (MSDs). Assisting with epidural procedures is one of the known high-risk tasks for nurses, we at SPH Medical are focused on reducing that high-risk nursing staff injuries. Modifying the task or implementing engineering controls to eliminate the risk is the greatest strategy to lessen the chance of injury. Your team will benefit from the positioning devices engineering control and risk reduction.

Patients benefit from an epidural positioning device because it provides a stable base. When the patient is positioned correctly, the caregiver can rely on the device rather than their body weight to keep the patient in the best posture for the treatment. These advantages significantly minimize the risk of problems during a spinal block and epidurals.

Patient Positioning Challenges

  • During epidural and spinal block placements, clinicians in the Labor and Delivery Unit, Surgery Department, and pain clinics face various demanding scenarios.
  • Holding a patient in place poses a risk to the staff’s safety.
  • Pillows stacked on non-locking tables endanger patients’ safety.
  • Patients on medication may find it challenging to maintain the correct position.
  • Keeping a stool in place while supporting a patient is a difficult task.
  • Patients may have an unanticipated reaction and try to move.
  • Patients may feel dizzy or queasy, causing them to move around.

With the SPH Medical epidural assisting device the patient is in a safe, secure, and comfortable position. It is the responsibility of hospitals and medical facilities to ensure the safety of their nurses and support staff. Providing the necessary equipment is part of the plan to keep employees injury-free. While assisting with traditional positioning methods connected with epidurals and similar procedures, positioning devices reduce overexertion, long static holds, and other positioning tasks that put nurses at risk of injury. It’s critical to keep nurses and hospital workers in good health to function at their best.

SPH Medical delivers N95 Masks to Hospitals
CategoriesInfection Prevention

Choosing an N95 Mask for Protection

by sphmedicaladmin

How To Tell If a N95 Mask Is Authentic and Why That’s Important

Health care workers, first responders and vulnerable members of the general public currently count on their face masks, providing them with the highest protection possible against coronavirus. There’s increasing evidence that suggests that a properly worn N95 mask is most effective at slowing the spread of Covid-19. Choosing an N95 Mask might not be as simple task as expected. Making sure you get a effective N95 mask as well as one that fits well can be a difficult experience.

Recently, the market for N95 masks has become saturated. The unfortunate aspect of all this is that many of the ones claiming to be National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved aren’t. The flooding of the market with non-NIOSH N95 masks is putting our first responders, medical providers and the rest of us at increased risk of contracting coronavirus.

So, what is the latest information about how to tell if an N95 mask is authentic? What is an N95 mask’s surgical rating, and what might that tell us about its effectiveness in staving off coronavirus? How easy is it to find an authentic NIOSH N95 mask right now? We’ll tackle these questions below.

Signs of an Authentic NIOSH N95 Mask

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its guide aimed at helping consumers determine if a model 9500-N95 mask is authentic. The CDC suggested that consumers pay close attention to the certification markings on these respirators and their design, including:

  • A correctly-spelled NIOSH acronym
  • An N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99 or P100 designation printed on it
  • It has a headband instead of ear loops

When choosing an N95 Mask for your child make sure to note if it is NIOSH-approved. If you find a mask claiming to be an N95 one that says it’s NIOSH-approved for kids, then the CDC notes that it’s not authentic. None of these respirators have been approved for children’s use. Also, none of the approved masks feature any decorative embellishments or fabric.

Are N95 Masks Surgical Grade?

N95 respirators that consumers, health care workers and first responders are eager to get their hands are most efficient at filtering out airborne pathogens due to their extremely close facial fit. There is a special surgical subclass of N95 masks (N95s) certified to protect health care workers against fluid related biohazards such as blood splatter. A surgical rated N95 mask should protect against both airborne pathogens and fluids when worn correctly.

How Challenging Is it To Find N95 and N95s Masks?

If you perform an online search, you’ll likely come across countless vendors claiming to offer N95 or N95s masks. However, only a small percentage of those offerings are likely for authentic or certified masks. However, you don’t have to worry about that when purchasing an N95 mask from SPH Medical. Why? You might ask. SPH Medical is an approved distributor for Makrite Industries, the leading global producer of N95 masks.

The company has been producing masks and face protection for nearly three decades and is known worldwide for its quality.  Choosing an N95 mask like the Makrite model 9500-N95 mask, make sure you know what sizes are available. The Makrite model 9500-N95 mask comes in both a small and universal size. And, if the Makrite 9500-N95 isn’t what you’re looking for, then you’ll be delighted to learn that we’re also an approved distributor for other safety products including Nitrile Exam Gloves. Currently the 3M 8210 N95 Respirators are available online at SPH Medical for immediate purchase.

Why Should You Work With an Authorized Makrite Distributor Like SPH Medical?

Prospective customers often ask us why they should buy their model 9500-N95 masks from an authorized distributor. It comes down to being able to track where your product comes from. We work directly with the manufacturer of the Makrite N95 mask instead of working with brokers or a middle man. This direct relationship ensures that you receive a genuine product that will provide you with the protection you expect.

Don’t put your health on the line by taking chances with buying an N95 respirator mask from just anyone. Buy it from an authorized distributor like us here at SPH Medical. We have inventory ready to ship to industrial and health care employees now.   We often get requests for 3M 1860 and 1870+ masks from our health care clients that have run out of supply.  If you’re in a similar situation please contact SPH Medical.

SPU Breathable Air Transfer Mattress reduces nurse injuries
Categoriesair transfer systems

Protecting the Protectors: Risk Reduction for Nurses with the SPH Air Mattress

by sphmedicaladmin

Every single day, health care workers around the world devote their time, their efforts, and their passion towards helping others to heal. They are caring for those in need of medical attention, and protecting patients from further injury. But what are we doing to help risk reduction for Nurses and health care workers?

Risk Reduction for Nurses

For those of us that do not work in a healthcare setting, it is so easy to take for granted the seemingly simplistic tasks health care professionals must undertake on a daily basis. But it is these very routine, common demands that present our nation’s RNs with the greatest risk for nursing injury.

In 2016, a study conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor found that over 50% of all injuries sustained by registered nurses involved a repositioning injury caused by overexertion or by improper lifting techniques, resulting in strains, sprains, and tears.

The fast-paced nature of the healthcare profession often sees registered nurses moving quickly and efficiently, but also in a position where the daily demands see them completing tasks without any support. One of the most prevalent risks faced by this community of public servants involves something as seemingly simple as moving their patients. On the surface, this task may appear as simple as it is mundane, but after carefully considering not only the frequency with which nurses must move their patients throughout each day, the sheer number of times they are required to do this each week within a hospital setting, in addition to the lack of support typically received by each nurse each time they are tasked with moving or adjusting a patient, it is absolutely no wonder that this activity is the #1 cause of injuries sustained by nurses on the job.

Fortunately, technology has come a long way in the development of safety protocols and in reducing risk factors faced by nurses every single day. The gold standard of the health care industry in completing patient transfers is the SPH Medical Air Powered Lateral Transfer System. This product allows healthcare professionals to move patients, to transfer them from one bed to another, or to adjust them in bed without exposure to all the risk-factors historically present while moving patients in a healthcare setting. The SPH Medical Air Transfer & Positioning System also offers medical facilities the following benefits:

  1. Enhanced Infection Prevention; SPU Transfer Mat reduces risk of cross contamination of deadly pathogens between equipment and people
  2. Single-use application ensures availability to RNs within their unit (*no laundry issues)
  3. Ease of use for healthcare providers—accessibility & inventory management
  4. Cost-effective product for medical institutions
  5. Maximize patient comfort and enhance experience during transfer
  6. Minimizes risk of injury to nurses during transfers and while moving or repositioning patients
  7. Means of streamlining a universal methodology of safe patient practices.
  8. Improved nursing safety and satisfaction when assistive devices are available = nurse retention

Historically speaking, the days of once having to pull a patient from a bed over to a gurney using a draw sheet or sliding board are, and should be, long gone. These methods are hazardous to medical staff, as they simply do not reduce the friction enough to make it safe.

Protecting the Protectors with an Air Powered Lateral Transfer System

Although products such as the Hovermatt and Stryker Glide to provide similar ease of transfer, the SPH Medical Air Powered Lateral Transfer System has been recommended by hospitals and nurses alike for all adult patients having to be transferred off the OR Table post-surgery in reducing the risk of injury for staff while also maximizing patient comfort and care. This system creates a thin cushion of air underneath an inflated mattress that reduces friction and helps staff ‘float’ patients from one surface to another.

The same systems can also be utilized to reposition patients up in their beds, addressing the other very-high risk task of ‘in bed repositioning’ or ‘boosting’ a patient. Once a manual task that required two nurses to take hold of a patient’s bed sheet and together lift the patient into position, the SPH Medical Air Transfer and Positioning System mattress is breathable and can stay underneath patients and be used to boost them up in bed.

Of all the products available, by far the gold standard of the medical field when it comes to transfers is the SPH Medical Air Powered Lateral Transfer System. This premier, industry-leading tool minimizes cross-contamination by being single-use while also ensuring that nurses have the products that they need to perform routine tasks without the risk of injury. Nurses and Health Care Workers around the world dedicate their lives to improving the lives of those around them. Using the SPH Medical Lateral Transfer Systems are one way we can reciprocate their care, compassion, and concern and help with risk reduction for Nurses and Caregivers.

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