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SPH Medical is a leading provider of solutions focused on reducing risk of injury to patient handling staff, and reducing hospital acquired infections and pressure ulcers.

Spinal Block Safety is improved with the SPH Medical EPD.
CategoriesPatient Handling

Staff Safety During Spinal Blocks

by sphmedicaladmin

In the past, patients who required analgesia given through an epidural or spinal blocks often required a handful of nurses and other clinical staff to conduct the procedure safely. Patients were held manually in a seated position with a flexed spine, often necessitating multiple medical professionals to support, provide counterpressure, or in some cases, catch a falling patient. Each of these manual patient handling tasks put the staff at risk.  But now both patients and staff can successfully experience an epidural or spinal block procedure safely with the use of an epidural positioning device or EPD.

Using an EPD in the Surgery Department

When spinal blocks are necessary to provide patient pain relief prior to a surgical procedure, multiple anesthesia techs, nurses or other medical professionals may be employed to make sure that a patient is positioned correctly. But using an epidural positioning device can ensure that the surgery department is following safe patient-handling procedures without putting staff at risk while helping patients remain in the correct posture for the spinal bock injection. Since the use of the device will require no additional staff members once the patient is engaged, surgical techs and staff can be utilized for their expertise rather than taking part in holding or securing patients before or after the spinal is administered.

Using an Epidural Chair in the Labor and Delivery Unit

Patients preparing to give birth are frequently shifted into a seated, flexedSpinal Block and Epidural Safety is Improved along with patient safety with the SPH Medical EPD position to receive epidural analgesia prior to giving birth. While tens of millions of epidurals are administered each year with their use only expected to escalate in the future, L&D staff are tasked with following safe patient handling guidelines that can be even trickier at the end stages of pregnancy. Many Labor and Delivery Unit facilities rely on the security of using an EPD as an injury prevention device for patients, nurses, OR techs and anesthesia techs. When a pregnant person must be secured in an uncomfortable or unstable position, like the seated and flexed position required for epidurals, they may require extra support from one or more staff members. Holding on, providing counterpressure or catching an unstable patient can hurt not only the patient but could easily injure a nurse or other medical professional needlessly when support from an epidural chair is available to provide stability.

Protecting Staff and Patients

Placing patients into the optimal cervical, thoracic or lumbar flexion is key to the successful administration of spinal or epidural medications. Patients undergoing hip or knee replacements, back procedures or delivering a baby all benefit from the correct placement of their medication or analgesic that will ensure their comfort before and during the procedure as well as promote a quick recovery afterward. But medical staff benefit just as much from the use of epidural chair equipment since they are now freed up from the physical requirements of holding and supporting patients who are undergoing this type of placement-sensitive procedure. Since ensuring patient safety is paramount for all medical professionals, those who assist in surgical and L&D situations where patients may fall or need physical support can avoid putting themselves at risk for their own injuries when a medical safety device like an epidural positioning device is utilized.

Contact SPH Medical to learn more about the EPD or request a quote.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_05.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr085.pdf

Oxydiff kills C. diff spores in 2 minutes and does not contain bleach or amonia.
CategoriesPatient Handling

Oxydiff Reducing Risk of Infections

by sphmedicaladmin

Environmental Disinfection to Prevent HAIs

Many people think of using bleach to disinfect the laundry, but bleach can adversely affect health. Bleach is made up of a mixture of sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide. When it contacts proteins like blood, it can release cytotoxic chemicals such as microcystin and chloroform into the air, known to cause significant lung harm. This article will explore reducing the risk of infections as well as methods of environmental disinfection that are more effective in preventing HAIs than bleach.

Oxydiff is a disinfectant solution that effectively kills pathogens on nonporous surfaces, such as countertops, sinks, and other hard surfaces items.  It kills various microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and molds. After 2 minutes of contact time, Oxydiff is EPA validated to kill up to 99.999% of all organisms it contacts.

Clostridium deficile is a bacterium that causes hospital illness and is commonly known as C. difficile or C. diff. Although antibiotics are a major cause of C. Diff infections, antibiotic overuse is not the only cause, and it often occurs in patients who were not even taking antibiotics at the time of the infection.

Reducing Risk of Infections Like C. Difficile

The most serious symptom of C. difficile is pseudomembranous colitis (PMC). It occurs when toxins the bacteria produce leach into tissue layers and cause ulcerations2 via an inflammatory response to bacterial proteins. Approximately 60% of patients who have suffered from PMC will eventually die from the infection. C. Diff is no longer a top 10 cause of hospital-acquired infection because newer antibiotics are more effective against it.

C. difficile can be treated with Vancomycin, one of the most potent antibiotics. However, it can take up to 4 days for the full dose to be absorbed into the body, and there are some cases where C. diff levels remain high after treatment.

MRSA is a type of Staphylococcus (staph) bacteria that causes infection in hospital settings, such as operating rooms. It is resistant to most antibiotics and can cause severe skin infections. It can result in pneumonia and blood-borne fungal infections, which can be fatal.

HAIs (Healthcare Associated Infections) are infections that develop while a person is in a healthcare facility. These infections are acquired through close contact with or using items containing bacteria, viruses, or other infectious organisms. These infections may also be acquired from contaminated blood given in transfusions and devices that deliver oxygen or fluids into the bloodstream. Bacteria are the most common HAIs. Most bacteria that cause infections can be killed by certain disinfectants. In particular, chlorine and iodine-based disinfectants effectively kill many types of bacteria. However, persistent bacteria have become resistant to chlorination and iodine-based disinfectants. It has been well documented that healthcare personnel introduces bacteria and other pathogens into the environment through improper hand hygiene and not wearing protective equipment. Some of the most harmful HAIs are Legionella, C difficile, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), MRSA, and Norovirus.

  • 1. What is the first step of Environmental Disinfection?Cleaning is the first step!  Most of us think that cleaning is the same as disinfection but it is not.  Cleaning is the first step because any dirt or debris including biofilm on surfaces needs to be removed before disinfection can occur.  The mechanical action of scrubbing and wiping with soap and water or mild detergents can remove and loosen the underlying pathogens
  • 2. Current relevant statistics about HAI’sWithin the last decade, HAIs have increased in their reported occurrence and severity, but only in the United States. It is estimated that each year 1.7 million healthcare-associated infections occur in the United States, which result in an additional 100,000 deaths. This accounts for approximately 3% of all deaths nationwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007). The Joint Commission has reported that as of January 1, 2011, there are now 11 HAI categories (n = 11).
  • 3. What are the top pathogens that hospitals are dealing with?The FDA has classified several organisms as “contagious,” Clostridium deficile, VRE, and Norovirus (FDA, 2011). These bacteria can spread by direct and indirect contact with contaminated items and surfaces. Contamination may result from transient person-to-person contact or environmental sources such as environmental surfaces, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and other patient care equipment. Healthcare workers are most likely to spread this due to poor hand hygiene practices (CDC, 2011)
  • 4. What are multi-drug resistant organisms?Multi drug resistant organisms are bacterial that have developed resistance against antibiotics making them very difficult for any of our modern drugs to kill them.
  • 5. CDC guidelines for hospital disinfection?The CDC, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has developed guidelines addressing hospital disinfection. They are known as the Environmental Infection Control and Epidemiology (EIC) guidelines. These guidelines were released in June 2007 but updated in October 2011 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007; FDA, 2011). The EIC guidelines instruct healthcare facilities to use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant or sterilant registered by the FDA.
  • 6. OxydiffOxydiff is a hospital disinfectant EPA approved to kill pathogens on surfaces and in the air and help in reducing risk of infections. Oxydiff kills many bacteria, viruses, mold, and spores on surgical scrub brushes, patient rooms, handrails, and medical equipment (EPA, 2011). It is hyrdogen peroxide based disinfectant with paracetic acid that is fully biodegradable. These products have been registered and approved by the EPA for use in healthcare facilities. One of the key benefits of Oxydiff is the flexibility of application.  It can be sprayed and wiped, fogged using a fogging system,  can be applied as a spray to surfaces or as a wipe solution for a combination of surfaces.

Environmental disinfection is critical to the success of HAI prevention. Multi-drug resistant organisms are becoming more prevalent due to the growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The CDC has recommended that healthcare facilities “consider the use of an Environmental Control Unit (ECU) to disinfect air and surfaces to prevent HAI” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007).

Nurses are still getting injured while catching a falling patient. Use the EPD for improved safety during epidurals.
Categoriesair transfer systems,  Infection Prevention,  Patient Handling,  Slings and Lifts

Why Are Nurses Still Getting Injured?

by sphmedicaladmin

Healthcare workers and nurses in hospitals and nursing homes are susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries because for the most part they are still manually repositioning and moving patients. The high frequency of manually lifting moving and transferring patients poses many risks to the nurses. This is now a well known and well documented risk, and yet still a question; why are nurses still getting injured?  The VA Patient Center of Inquiry began researching healthcare worker injuries decades ago and determined that safe and ergonomically designed assistive equipment both improves patient care and minimizes musculoskeletal nursing injury to caregivers.

The SPH Medical Air Transfer and Positioning Mat is the ideal solution for mostSPU Breathable Air Transfer Mattress reduces nurse injuries hospital wide safe patient handling programs to help nurses avoid many of the predictable patient handling tasks.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that healthcare workers lift a maximum of 35 pounds. That means no more than 35 pound per person if one or two nurses are helping a patient.  Most patients weigh above 180 pounds and manually lifting them, or attempting to reposition them up in bed, causes overexertion, sprains, strains, and may lead to a career ending back injury.

With the alarming fact that nurses still getting injured in a work environment, SPH Medical decided to do something about it. That’s where SPH Medical Air Transfer and Positioning Mat makes a measurable difference in hospital departments. This tool is integrated into everyday patient care to support the safe handling of patients. It also eliminates the need for manual patient transfers and mitigates the risks of nurses’ injuries. Nurses and healthcare workers can use the SPH Medical Air Transfer and Positioning Mat in the following circumstances:

Repositioning of Patients

Repositioning is the general task of caring for a bed ridden patient by boosting or turning them or any other in bed positioning. The primary purpose of repositioning patients in bed is often to alleviate pressure on their tissues and bony prominences to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. Nurses are required to change the position of a patient after every two hours.

This process is also known as boosting up in bed a patient. Bed-ridden patients who have slid down the bed need boosting up in bed to acquire proper alignment and prevent bed sores.

The activity is high-risk and will cause repositioning injury if the appropriate slings, sheets, and lifts are not used. The awkward healthcare worker’s posture and the patient’s weight may contribute to musculoskeletal injuries. Since the task is performed several times a day, it increases the likelihood of injuries.

The Disposable Air Transfer System provides nurses with a seamless and safe way to move patients. The mattress is inflated by a blower to release air out of the bottom via the multiple small pin holes. This creates a thin layer of air at the bottom of the mattress which minimizes friction. Less lifting and pulling are indispensable, thus posing minimal risks to patients and nurses.

Nurses Still Getting Injured During The Lateral Transfer

Lateral transfer is moving patients from one surface or bed to another. The traditional way of pulling patients using sliding boards or draw sheets is quite dangerous. Many nurses still getting injured when transferring a patient. According to the National Library of Medicine, 97.3% of the nurses lodged a complaint of work-related pain in a research on work-related musculoskeletal pain occurrence.

Air Powered transfer systems are the most preferred tools in lateral transfer. They make a thin air cushion at the inflated mattress’s bottom. This method helps minimize friction and ensure patients stay afloat as they are transferred from one surface to another.

Top Advantages of the Air Transfer Systems

  • Disposable Items: The Transfer Mats are for single-use and are disposable types. Although they are labeled as disposable, you can use them on one patient multiple times until they no longer need them or are soiled. Thus they prevent cross-contamination and hospital-acquired disease transmission.
  • No Need for Laundry: Laundry does not offer 100% bacteria elimination, especially when under substandard conditions. The fabric slings are made of porous materials, and bacteria and pathogens can be trapped in the crannies and nooks. Using such slings on patients makes them vulnerable to infections. But the disposable repositioning sheets and slings don’t require laundry and you can dispose them after use.
  • Offers Better Management of Inventory: The single-use mats and slings are easier to monitor and relatively accessible. Also, health workers don’t have to wait for 3- days for the slings and sheets to be laundered and returned to the hospital. In the long run, they offer ultimate convenience.
  • Designed with the Safety of Nurses and Patients in Mind: Manual handling of patients causes strains, sprains, and low back pain for the nurses. The old-fashioned method also causes friction and tissue damage in patients. But the Air Transfer System reduces the need to lift and pull patients, thus preventing common musculoskeletal disorders. They are also designed with breathable and soft materials that do not irritate the patients.

SPH Medical’s assistive solutions minimize injuries and pain for nurses and patients. There are essential items for nursing facilities and medical centers that assist in preventing nurse injury, repositioning, and boosting up in bed of patients.

Nurses are still getting injured from repositioning but not when using SPH Medicals breathable repositioning sheet.

SPH Medical's EPD improves patient comfort and safety during spinal blocks and epidurals.
CategoriesPatient Handling

Improving Spinal Block Safety in Hospitals

by sphmedicaladmin

Hospital staff and patient safety should be a top priority for all hospitals, say most healthcare professionals.  Many leading hospitals that have made staff safety a top priority have been found to have at least one epidural positioning device (EPD) in both their surgery department and another in their labor and delivery unit. These hospitals and health systems are also the ones that have healthcare workers with fewer missed work days due to musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders are some of the most costly and debilitating injuries to nurses and nurse assistants. They often lead to chronic pain and lost work days.  Back injuries are brought on by patient-handling mishaps where proper use of equipment was not employed. Facilities that use assistive devices to improve spinal block safety have documented a reduction of injury rates and severity as well as a reduction direct and indirect medical expenses. Hospitals that do not have such devices have much higher rates of injury and more lost work days. And this is backed by two very credible studies, the first of which is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That study revealed overexertion is a factor in most musculoskeletal disorder cases among medical teams.

The study also notes that the overexertion that befalls most medical teams is usually a byproduct of lifting, holding, and otherwise positioning patients to receive a spinal block or epidural injection. In a separate Bureau of Labor Statistics study, researchers revealed overexertion-related musculoskeletal disorders were to blame for more than 8,730 days-away-from-work cases filed for registered nurses in 2016. That said, there is some good news; the number of musculoskeletal disorders and missed work days among hospital medical teams are nowhere near as high these days. And this is thanks to more hospitals embracing and adding the epidural chair to the rest of the advanced equipment already in their surgery departments and labor and delivery units.

How an EPD Helps Administer Epidural Pain Relief While also Improving Spinal Block Safety

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), musculoskeletal disorders can affect bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues in varying parts of the body. The organization further notes that they can cause extreme pain, mobility problems, and, in some cases, may even be disabling. They are also some of the costliest to treat as far as work-related injuries are concerned. Most musculoskeletal disorder cases that result in hospital medical teams having to miss work involve the following:

  • The upper and lower back
  • Neck and shoulders
  • Arms, hands, legs, and feet

Whether it be for a pregnant woman due to give birth in a hospital’s labor and delivery unit or someone scheduled to undergo a surgical procedure in a hospital’s surgery department, an epidural chair to administer epidural pain relief can make life easier for everyone involved. For those who have never seen them, an epidural positioning device or epidural chair is a medical apparatus fitted with head, chest, and arm supports that help insure that a patient remains in a stable and comfortable position while they maintain the ideal flexed spine position for the injection.

These two things keep medical teams from overly exerting themselves when preparing patients to receive a spinal block or epidural. They also reduce the chances of a patient falling after receiving these powerful pain blockers which means that hospital staff also avoid having to catch a falling patient. This is a Spinal Block Safety Improved with EPD preventing falls well known cause of injury to nurses. Additionally, the EPD can reduce the risk of injection mishaps, which can sometimes happen when medical teams have to manually prop up a patient before injecting them with one of these powerful pain-blocking medications. To learn more about EPDs and why they are a must for modern-day hospitals, consider speaking with an SPH Medical associate today.

CategoriesPatient Handling

The Benefit of SPU Slings and Repositioning Sheets

by sphmedicaladmin

Single Patient Use (SPU) Slings and Repositioning Sheets offer hospitals and nursing homes an effective and safe way to lift, move, transfer and reposition patients. These SPU slings and sheets from SPH Medical are designed with patient safety in mind, preventing cross-contamination and disease transmission between patients and healthcare workers while enabling the safe lifting, transferring, and mobility needed to improve patient outcomes. The disposable nature of SPU slings and sheets means they are designed to be assigned to one patient and used as long as they are needed and then disposed of when the patient no longer needs them or they become soiled.  These items are considered disposable and are never laundered, saving both time and money, and perhaps more importantly they are also easier to order, keep track of, and store.

Slings and Repositioning Sheets for Hospitals and Medical Facilities

Patients at all types of healthcare facilities including hospitals and extended care facilities have unique mobility needs relating to their specific condition and functional ability or deficit. Unfortunately when caregivers use manual techniques to lift, transfer, or mobilize patients, the caregiver is at risk of injury due to overexertion, complicated by handling increasingly heavier patients, and potential awkward body postures.Universal Disposable Sling with Head Support

In addition to the traditional SPU highback sling for seated position lifting, an advanced Breathable Repositioning Sheet is available from SPH Medical that can be left beneath the patient for extended periods of time. When nurses are faced with repositioning patients in bed, Single Patient Use (SPU) repositioning sheets and slings are the best option for reducing the risk of nursing injuries and cross-contamination.

The repositioning sheet was designed to turn and boost the patient up in bed,Breathable Repositioning Sheets improve patient care and can remain under patients the two most common in-bed repositioning tasks.  Another great benefit of sheet is being able to hold a patient in side-lying position for skin assessments and cleaning.

The SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet has been tested and documented to confirm that there is no increase in pressure or heat as compared to a standard hospital bed sheet.  This testing ensures that the hospital wound care and pressure ulcer team will support the use of the repositioning sheet and will allow it to remain under patients to support boosting and turning.  The repositioning sheet provides support and comfort for the patient during repositioning tasks.

When considering using Single Patient Use slings versus investing capital budget dollars in launderable slings, the availability and accessibility of SPU slings is one of the key benefits.  However, in addition, SPU slings also reduce the risk of spreading life threatening pathogens from patient to patient.  For these reasons, SPU slings and sheets are the ideal solutions to provide safe patient handling and transfers.

The selection of SPU slings available from SPH Medical is comprehensive and designed to provide maximum comfort, stability, and support while lifting or repositioning the patient.

Slings and Mobile Lifts

All SPH Medical SPU slings are mobile lift and overhead lift friendly (ceiling-mounted) comply with industry standards including ISO 10535.  These slings are considered to be universal slings that can be used with traditional hook and loop sling bar or carry bar lift systems.

SPU slings and sheets are designed with patient safety and comfort in mind. A broad range of styles and sizes are offered to ensure the appropriate fit.

SPU slings and sheets are disposable, eliminating the need for costly laundering and reducing the hazard of cross-contamination between patients, nurses, and environmental surfaces. Furthermore, their disposable nature makes them easier to track and keep in stock as a supply item.

SPH Medical SPU slings and repositioning sheets offer hospitals and nursing facilities the opportunity to greatly reduce injury risk to healthcare workers and cross-contamination while providing a comfortable and supportive transfer experience. These universal SPU slings and sheets supplied by SPH Medical are cost-effective when compared to other manufacturers and because they are disposable they eliminate the need for costly laundering.  Of course when using SPU slings and sheets, hospitals and nursing facilities also benefit from improved inventory control and supply management.  Loosing slings in the laundry system or having no slings available becomes a thing of the past.

Durable, Breathable, and Designed to Enhance Patient Mobility

These SPU slings and sheets are highly durable, breathable, and designed to enhance patient mobility, and minimize injury to nurses and caregiving staff. In addition, SPU slings and sheets reduce cross-contamination risk and can help reduce healthcare associated infections. SPU slings and sheets are cost-effective, reducing the need for costly laundering, and can be easily tracked and stored. All in all, SPH Medical’s single-patient use slings and repositioning sheets are outstanding products for hospitals and nursing facilities.  With supply chain issues affecting many other manufacturers and suppliers, SPH Medical stands ready to supply these critical supplies to hospitals nationwide to support daily patient care.

SPH Medical’s single-patient use slings and repositioning sheets are essential items for hospitals and nursing facilities to support safe patient handling programs, nurse injury prevention, and the lifting, transferring, repositioning, and mobility of patients.

Categoriesair transfer systems,  Patient Handling

Preventing Nurse Injuries

by sphmedicaladmin

Nursing is a very physically demanding job. Nurses spend most of each shift on their feet, walking for miles around the hospital each day. They are also expected to move patients around multiple times per day with little or no help. Moving patients from one location to another can cause injury and strain on nurses. This article focuses on preventing nurse injuries and the safety precautions and equipment used to perform safe patient handling.

There are high frequency patient handling tasks nurses have to perform that have traditionally involved manual pushing, pulling, or lifting.  These tasks are:

  • Lateral transfers
  • Repositioning patients in bed

Lateral transfers

A lateral transfer is when a patient is moved from one surface to another. For example, it is not uncommon for a patient to need to be moved from a bed to a gurney, from the gurney into a CT machine or onto an operating room table, and then back onto the gurney and finally back into bed.

During these transfers, the patient is often unconscious or incapacitated and cannot assist in any way. An injured patient needs to be moved smoothly and gently to avoid further injury.

The old-fashioned ways of performing these transfers, such as a sliding board or pulling on a sheet underneath the patient, are very physically challenging and require the nurses’ to use poor ergonomics. In addition, while the guidelines suggest using four to eight nurses per transfer of an average adult human, often there is insufficient staff and two nurses have to do the job by themselves.

Repositioning patients in bed

Patients who are bed-bound need to be repositioned multiple times per day toavoid pressure sores. Patients also often slide down in the bed and need to be shifted back up (“boosting up in bed”). These repositioning efforts usually involve two nurses pulling on a sheet underneath the patient. Repositioning a patient in bed really describes a variety of in-bed positioning tasks that nurses perform to move patients. A nurse can engage in hundreds of repositioning tasks every shift, this is why there needs to be safe patient handling techniques coupled with assistive devices in place to help prevent nurse injuries.

Preventing Nurse Injuries and How a Nurse can get Hurt

Nurses are injured on the job at a rate (six per 100 workers) far exceeding that of all other industries combined (three per 100 workers). One study that analyzed workers’ compensation claims made by nurses found that repositioning injury was the most common type of nursing injury, costing over $29 million in direct medical costs to treat. That figure does not take into account the emotional and economic costs incurred by nurses having to find some other type of employment after suffering a permanent injury on the job.

Technology that can help nurses

A variety of different devices are available to make patient transfers easier for both the nurses and the patients. Some of these devices use mechanical lifts and utilize the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet to lift, turn and boost patients. Other solutions focus on reducing the friction between the patient and the surface, which makes it easier to move the patient. The clinical practice guidelines all strongly recommend the use of an air powered lateral transfer device when transferring a patient to and from an operating table.

One study randomly tested eight different types of assistive transfer devices and found that air-powered devices were rated the highest in terms of nurse comfort, ease of use, and patient safety.

Air-powered transfer systems, Help Preventing Nurse Injuries

The SPH Medical Air Powered Lateral Transfer System is a popular choice. It consists of an inflatable mat that is placed under the patient. When it is inflated, it gently cradles the patient while creating a thin layer of air under the patient, allowing the patient to be gently floated into their new position or location. Two nurses can easily transfer a patient with this device. It dramatically reduces the risk of injury to both the nurses and the patient.Air Powered Transfer and Positioning System

An SPH air-powered transfer device can be left underneath a bed-bound patient and used throughout the day for repositioning and boosting up in bed procedures. They are rated for up to 1000 pounds and are compatible with all major air blower systems.

The SPH air-powered transfer devices are also radiolucent, meaning they can be left in place during imaging procedures. The patient can be placed on the transfer mat in the first bed they occupy after arriving at the hospital and it can then be used to ease every transfer and repositioning throughout the patient’s stay.

SPH air-powered transfer devices come in both reusable and single-patient types. The SPH Medical Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress can be dedicated to one patient throughout their stay and then discarded. This prevents the transfer of dangerous pathogens from patient to patient without having to engage in costly and time-consuming laundry, cleaning and disinfection procedures.

Nurses are still getting injured while catching a falling patient. Use the EPD for improved safety during epidurals.
CategoriesPatient Handling

Safety Standards Improved During Epidurals

by sphmedicaladmin

Epidural positioning devices are making it much easier, more comfortable, and safer for patients while also improving safety for and medical professionals during epidurals or spinal blocks. Whether it’s a soon-to-be mother in the labor and delivery unit or a patient being prepped for a total knee replacement in the surgery department, an epidural chair can make all of the difference.

What is an Epidural Positioning Device?

Known as an EPD for short, this medical device is intended to help optimally position a patient in the ideal position to administer spinal anesthesia. The epidural chair places patients in a seated, well-supported, forward leaning position to promote easy access to the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical areas of the spine. It provides an adequate level of support for patients of all different sizes and weights. This flexed spine position enables optimal access for the anesthesiologist.

What Makes an EPD Great for Patients Epidurals and Spinal Blocks?

Patients who opt for epidural pain relief can greatly benefit from having their epidural administered while they’re in an epidural chair. Traditionally, patients are supported via a stack of pillows propped up on a bedside table with wheels that don’t lock and are held in place by nurses. While this offers some level of support, patients feel more comfortable being supported by a solid chair structure.

If a patient faints or moves unintentionally, without using the EPD, the nurse has to catch the falling patient. The epidural chair provides the necessary safety and support for the patient and eliminates the manual handling required by nurses. Of course the EPD prevents them from falling to the floor and become injured. This makes using these chairs the best way to offer optimal safety for patients who are undergoing an epidural in the labor and delivery unit or a spinal block in the surgery department.

How are EPDs Beneficial to Medical Staff That Perform Epidurals?

Traditionally, patients who need to undergo epidural pain relief will require multiple nurses to hold them in place during the procedure. Nurses have to bear the weight of the patient and be capable of quickly responding to any unexpected responses, like fainting or jolting movements.

This puts nurses at risk for minor and severe musculoskeletal injuries. An epidural positioning device works to take that strain off of the nursing staff and allows the chair itself to support the majority of the patient’s weight. This means fewer nurses are needed to handle the patient during this particular medical procedure. The fewer nurses involved, the more efficiently the nursing staff can work to provide patient care to all patients on the unit. The EPD provides a new standard of safety in the hospital. With the EPD nurses can work more efficiently in a repeatable process that improves both nursing safety and patient safety.

More Epidural Pain Relief Will Be Requested by Patients

As researchers commonly pour through statistics to learn more about spinal anesthesia techniques and trends that lead to improved patient outcomes, one fact has become increasingly clear. According to a published medical article in Anesthesiology, the number of women who opt for epidurals during delivery has increased significantly by 10% from 2008 to 2018.

It’s commonly thought that the rise in patient education about the birthing process has led many pregnant women to ask for this form of spinal pain relief. As education levels continue to rise, it’s predicted that the percentage of women opting for epidurals during delivery is going to increase even more.

With more epidurals being requested for birthing deliveries and spinal blocks for specialized ortho surgeries, it’s more important than ever before to invest in an EPD. This medical device will go a long way in creating a safer environment for both your patients and nurses alike.Improve patient safety with EPD

Improve Patient and Staff safety with the EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

Spinal Blocks Epidural Safety Trends

by sphmedicaladmin

Epidurals and spinal blocks are types of anesthesia that reduce or eliminate a person’s pain sensation. Spinal anesthesia is gained popularity over time as it is deemed to be safer for patients than general anesthesia and has a lower mortality rate for expectant mothers. Although these two forms of spinal anesthesia are similar the difference is needle placement. For spinal blocks, the needle is placed into the dural sac that contains cerebrospinal fluid where an epidural is injected into the epidural space. Both can be used to treat severe pain in the lower regions of the body. An Epidural injection is often used relieve pain from labor contractions in pregnant women. Another key difference is the length of time that each shot will offer pain relief. A spinal block is a single shot that typically lasts a couple of hours where an epidural actually leaves a catheter inserted in the back to allow a continuous drip of medication and the pain relief can be extended to handle a longer period of time, like 10-18 hours of labor contractions.

Spinal Blocks and Epidural Trends in Healthcare

Looking at the data of spinal anesthesia trends in surgery centers and hospitals both physicians and patients are choosing spinal blocks due to the safety and rapid recovery time. Many total knee and total hip replacement surgeries are using spinal blocks for this very reason.  Surgeons want their patients up and moving post surgery to improve patient outcomes. In 2021 Penn Medicine published a news release addressing the myth that general anesthesia is more dangerous than a spinal block. They make the point that patient deaths, outcomes, and delirium occurring within 60 days post surgery is about equal in a study that included 1600 hip-fracture patients across north America.  Patients are often given the choice of anesthesia and it would appear that Penn’s press release is well intentioned to reduce patient fears. And they make a very good case to equalize the risk between both techniques. They note that the post surgery delirium experienced by patients receiving a block vs. general anesthesia was about equal, However, undergoing general anesthesia often requires intubation and can lead to other side effects. It’s clear that most surgeons are recommending spinal blocks for their total knees and hips to reduce risks and improve outcomes but patients will likely have a choice.

Epidural Positioning Device

Epidural Positioning Device (EPD), also known as the Epidural Chair, is a key development in Safe Patient Handling solutions that helps position patients safely and securely in the ideal position so that an epidural or spinal block can be administered safely.  The EPD is a simple and easy-to-use and positioning device that has gained popularity worldwide. The Epidural Positioning Device or Epidural Chair is a portable device that provides the caregiver or nurse with the help they need for accurate positioning of patients while avoiding the risk of injury associated with manually positioning the patient and holding them while the needle is inserted.  An epidural Positioning Device (EPD) is commonly used in the pre-op area or surgical suite to administer the spinal block.  It is now the standard of care in Labor and Delivery units where epidurals are performed all day long.

Advantages of Epidural Positioning Device

  • Supports up to 600lbs
  • Reduces risk of injury to nursing and technical staff
  • Used for Epidural’s, Spinal Blocks, and Thoracentesis
  • Improves patient comfort and patient satisfaction scores
  • Improved efficiency and throughput for busy departments
  • Portable and moves from room to room easily
  • Assembles in less than 5 minutes
  • Creates a safe standardized process to improve patient and staff safety
The SPH Medical EPD improves safety and comfort during Thoracentesis Epidurals and Spinal Blocks
CategoriesPatient Handling

Safe Patient Handling during Thoracentesis

by sphmedicaladmin

What is an EPD and How Does it Help with Safe Patient Handling?

EPD stands for epidural positioning device. This is an epidural chair that helps to safely position and support a patient while getting an epidural or spinal block. This portable device allows for optimal safe patient handling without the physical need of staff members to hold patients for an extended period of time.

Why is an EPD Useful for a Thoracentesis?

When a thoracentesis is performed, the patient must be placed in a similar position as an epidural to allow the needle to successfully penetrate into the pleural space. Expert patient positioning is a must to ensure that this procedure is done safely and correctly every single time.

Unfortunately, using stacked pillows and relying on the physical exertion of staff members to hold a patient in place during this painful procedure isn’t always the best option for your facility. Rather an epidural positioner can be a great addition to any hospital looking to reduce nursing injury statistics and optimize patient care.

Where is Thoracentesis performed?

Thoracentesis is often performed in a hospital setting where a pulmonologist will drain the fluid in the pleural cavity. This can be an inpatient procedure or an outpatient procedure. One hospital that uses the EPD for thora’s, City of Hope in Los Angeles, California has their patients visit the ultrasound department where the ultrasound tech is responsible for preparing the patient. Ultrasound guidance is used to locate the needle insertion point and is considered to improve patient safety.

The Various Safe Patient Handling Benefits of EPDs

When it comes to safe patient handling, EPDs are a great way to help enhance your staff’s ability to keep patients safe and comfortable during a thoracentesis procedure. In fact, these devices provide many great benefits for patients and staff members alike.

Increase Safe Patient Handling with the EPD

The epidural positioner will provide each patient with layers of support that will keep them safe throughout the procedure. While staff members are capable of holding patients in position, these types of static holds put hospital workers at risk and there’s always the possibility the patient or the staff member moving.  For example, a staff member may experience a cramp or some other condition that compromises their ability to continue to hold the patient safely in position. With an epidural positioner, you can eliminate the risk of manual patient handling and ensure patient safety 100% of the time.

Less Risk to Staff Members

Nurses and ultrasound techs won’t have to hold the patient into position or continue to support them throughout the procedure. Additionally, there’s no possibility of the patient falling and staff members having to quickly catch a falling patient or support the full weight of the patient. Any equipment that helps to reduce long periods of static holding or over exertion by your staff members can greatly contribute to healthier staff members, improved job satisfaction, and will reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

Requires Fewer Staff Members

Another great benefit of epidural positioning devices is that they provide so much support for the patient that you won’t need to have multiple staff members manually positioning the patient. Rather, you can have one staff member oversee the patient and the ultrasound technician. This helps to reduce labor requirements and allows your staff members to more efficiently handle patient flow throughout the day.

Epidural positioning devices can be a great addition to your medical facility. They can work to enhance patient safety, speed up procedures like Thoras, and reduce the wear and tear on your staff members. Any good medical facility knows that investing in devices that offer safe patient handling and less physical exertion from their staff members is a must. If you don’t currently have any EPDs, it’s high time to consider investing in them.

SPH Medical's EPD Improves Safety
CategoriesPatient Handling

Safety During Spinal Blocks and Epidurals

by sphmedicaladmin

The use of the EPD for patient positioning during spinal blocks and other procedures

An epidural or spinal block offers patients an option to remain awake and alert while receiving pain relief. They can even help patients to get back on their feet faster after surgeries and other procedures. Some doctors use epidurals to help patients acquire relief from chronic pain as well. An experienced medical professional blocks nerves by introducing an anesthetic, steroid or other medication via straight injection or a small catheter into the lower back. Epidural pain relief is often used during back, hip and knee surgery and the delivery of a baby. Yet, epidurals can pose risks to both patients and medical personnel. Read on to learn more about these risks and how staff at hospitals and surgical facilities are introducing safety during spinal blocks with an epidural positioning device (EPD).

How Common Is Epidural Pain Relief?

According to a Stanford study published in 2018, 71% of 17 million women received some form of spine-based pain relief during childbirth between 2009 and 2014. The researchers pulled the data from birth certificate records.

In a more recent 2021 study, also by Stanford, researchers learned that approximately 2.8 million pregnant women receive epidurals every year during delivery. As noted by the Mayo Clinic, approximately 50% of women who give birth at a hospital in a labor and delivery unit request epidural pain relief.

What Sort of Patient Injuries Can Take Place?

Accidental nerve damage is one of the most common injuries. Patients who experience nerve damage after an epidural often lose feeling, movement and strength in spots or extremities. Patients can also experience allergic reactions to medication, blood clots and infections.

Additionally, Stanford researchers found during the 2021 study that approximately 28,000 women across the nation experience an accidental puncture of the spinal dura mater membrane yearly. They tracked a small sample of women from the point of delivery up to 12 months and found that 74% of the new mothers experienced excruciating, debilitating headaches, known as post dural puncture headaches (PDPH), two months after delivery. By comparison, only 38% of mothers who didn’t experience an unintentional puncture had headaches. By six months, 52% of the first group still had headaches.

Of course, this type of injury and resulting headaches can happen to any patient who receives an epidural, including those who receive treatment through a surgery department. Other symptoms associated with PDPH include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, vision disturbances, lower pack or neck pain and physical stiffness.

What Risks Do Medical Personnel Face?

Anesthesiologists, nurses, operating room technicians and others must physically move patients into and out of position for an epidural. This type of movement often requires that they support a patient’s full weight with their bodies. They risk muscle and tissue strains and tears and back injury from attempting to lift too much weight or catching a falling patient. If a patient loses balance, they risk falling with the patient and injuries associated with falls. They must also maintain patients in a particular seated position during the procedure, which can put strain on their arms and back.

How Does an Epidural Positioning Device Provide Safety During Spinal Blocks?

An epidural positioning device, such as an epidural chair, makes it easier for staff in a surgery department or labor and delivery unit to perform safety during spinal blocks. Although called an epidural chair, the EPD is actually a portable tool that the nurse or technician places in front of the bed or table where the patient sits during the procedure.

They can position the patient with optimal cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal flexion. This means that the patient leans forward with a flexed spine while seated, which is the best position for a professional to perform the needle insertion to reduce the chance of an error. Instead of the nurse or technician holding the patient in the right position, the patient maintains the correct position by leaning against supports.

Sources:

Epidurals increase in popularity, Stanford study finds

Stanford Medicine; Epidurals increase in popularity; Tracie White; June 26, 2018

Post-epidural headaches can be more serious than previously known

Stanford Medicine; Post-epidural headaches can be more serious than previously known; Tracie White; August 2, 2021

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21896-epidural
Epidural: What It Is, Procedure, Risks & Side Effects; Cleveland Clinic medical professional; 10/14/2021

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