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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.

Improve Patient Safety with EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

What is an Epidural Positioning Device

by sphmedicaladmin

Did you know hospitals administer tens of millions of epidurals and spinal blocks each year for pain relief? Most providers perform these procedures quickly, efficiently, and with the assurance that their patients are in expert hands. Sometimes, when administering anesthesia for pain relief at the hospital, the staff administering the epidural or spinal block are the victims. Safety measures are essential to protect healthcare staff members from becoming victims of their patients. To avoid nursing injury and staff accidents, medical facilities are now implementing additional safety measures, such as using an epidural positioning device, training, and safety equipment to help reduce the risk of injuries.

What is an Epidural Positioning Device (EPD)

An epidural positioner is a positioning device that helps the patient lean forward into a proper position to receive an epidural while fully supported. It is known as an epidural chair and it consists of an adjustable headrest, chest pad, arm supports, and footrest. These components work together to provide stability and comfort to the patient. Epidural Positioner can reduce injuries and increase patient safety during epidurals and other anesthetic procedures. Devices like this are useful in operating rooms, labor, and pain management centers. The EPDs reduce patients’ and staff’s risk and improve safety by assisting with thoracic, cervical, and lumbar flexion while maintaining stability. EPDs are available in both manual and electric versions. The manual version has a spring-loaded knob for adjusting the midsection and footrest. An electronic controller controls the midsection and footrest in the electric version. EPDs are the best choice for obstetrics, thoracentesis, and obese patients.

What is Thoracentesis?

In this procedure, doctors remove fluid from between the lungs. With the EPDs, the headrest, armrests, and footplate are adjustable for safe and comfortable positioning for the patient. Using EPD for thora’ provides a solution to staff concerns about using the unsafe bedside table. Currently, EPDs for Thoracentesis procedures are becoming the new standard for care.

COVID-19 and the Epidural Positioning Device Use

As COVID-19 spreads, health care providers will continue to suffer disproportionately. Numerous frontline caregivers have been exposed in the U.S. to date. Manual patient handling is put into a new perspective regarding patient and staff safety, including staff distance and behavior. The manual handling of patients exposes nurses to musculoskeletal injuries and can increase their exposure to COVID-19. During spinal blocks and epidurals, the staff must hold the patients in position, increasing the risk of spreading the virus. So unnecessary contact is crucial for protecting the patient and nursing injury and sickness.

Safe Patient Handling and Epidural Positioner

Epidural and spinal blocks are techniques for perioperative pain management with multiple applications in anesthesiology. An epidural injects anesthesia into the epidural space, and a spinal block injects anesthesia into the dural sac that contains the cerebrospinal fluid. It gives immediate relief due to direct access. An epidural is a standard procedure performed during labor and delivery. Although it is useful as a primary anesthetic, its most common application is pain management. It can be a single shot or a continuous infusion for long-term pain relief. Although they are generally safe, there is always a risk of injury to the person administering the medication. Using these medications safely requires that staff be properly trained and equipped.

Safety equipment:

Staff members should use safety equipment when administering epidurals and spinal blocks. This includes gloves, goggles, and masks to protect them from potential infections and other risks and ensure their safety and the safety of the patients.

Training:

Medical staff should receive proper training in safely administering spinal blocks and epidurals. This training should include both classroom instruction and hands-on training, and it should cover the equipment needed, its setup, potential problems, and how to handle emergencies. Staff should also be physically fit. Safely performing these procedures requires physical fitness, precision, and agility. Personnel who are physically fit are less likely to suffer injuries when performing medical procedures.

Epidural Positioning Device and The Proper Technique:

Proper techniques help reduce complications and ensure that patients receive the best possible care. To administer epidurals and spinal blocks safely, staff must know most of the procedures. The epidural chair facilitates positioning. However, there are other traditional methods like the ‘mad cat position’ whereby: – The patient sits on the bed edge or lies on their side on the table or bed – A nurse stacks pillows on an unstable bedside table – The patient leans over it – A nurse places a stool under the patient’s feet In this traditional method, the nurse held the patient in the proper position during the procedure.

Documentation:

The staff should document all procedures, including epidurals and spinal blocks. The documentation can help to identify any potential problems.

Conclusion

A successful mobility program and safe patient handling hinge on buying in, acquiring the right equipment, and providing guidance on the best solutions to improve patient and staff safety. Ultimately, best practices are the key. It only takes one wrong lift to ruin a nurse’s career. It takes only one snap decision to end a nursing career, and we need all our nurses.

SPH Medical Epidural Chair improves Safety
CategoriesPatient Handling

Epidural Positioning Trends and Spinal Block Safety

by sphmedicaladmin

The Epidural Positioning Chair Improves Safety

The Epidural Positioning Device (EPD) is used to help patients get an epidural injection. The design is intended to improve the safety of these procedures by reducing the risk of accidental dural puncture and increasing comfort for patients. It does this through its four-point support system, which stabilizes a patient in a seated position during their procedure with padded armrests, face support, chest cushion, and foot rests on either side of them. The epidural pain relief procedure is a common way to provide pain relief during labor.

The epidural chair is used in Labor and Delivery unit and surgical departments because it’s effective at improving safety by improving patient stability and comfort. One of the most common solutions for pain and discomfort in pregnant mothers is epidural analgesia. This involves administering drugs through an epidural needle into the space around the spinal cord. This provides pain relief for the mother during labor. The medications used in epidural analgesia can also help speed up labor.  In general Epidural Analgesia is very safe.  There are some minor risks of side effects and complications for patients including low blood pressure, which can lead to a feeling of light headedness, and in some cases a temporary loss of bladder control

.1)Use of Epidural Device
The epidural chair is a simple yet effective device that helps improve the safety and comfort of patients receiving an epidural injection. The chair is portable on wheels enabling it to be moved easily into any area of the facility. The EPD is height adjustable adapting to each unique patient to support them in a comfortable position. This secure platform ensures that the patient stays safe and comfortable during the procedure. The epidural chair is available in many hospitals and clinics, and it can help make the process more comfortable for the patient. If you are scheduled for an epidural injection, be sure to ask if the hospital or clinic has an epidural chair available. This can help ensure that you have a safe and comfortable experience. The epidural pain relief procedure may also be performed in the surgery departments or in pain management clinics to relieve chronic pain.

2) Importance of Proper Epidural Positioning
Proper epidural positioning is important because it can help reduce the risk of accidental dural puncture and ensures a more accurate epidural placement. An accidental dural puncture is a severe complication when the needle used to give the epidural injection goes too deep and enters the space between the vertebrae and the spinal cord, called the dura mater. Spinal fluid can leak out when this happens and cause minor headaches to severe complications, including paralysis. Proper positioning and a comfortably stabilized patient can help ensure that the anesthesiologist is able to direct the needle into the correct position and doesn’t go too deep.

3) How does the EPD benefit the patient during the Epidural procedure?
The EPD is designed to properly position a patient in the ideal “mad cat” position that opens up the vertebral spaces for epidural placement. Patients are often nervous and scared when thinking about getting an epidural so the EPD really offers a comfortable and stable platform for the patient to lean on and hold. This makes it a valuable tool for hospitals and clinics to improve patient safety during epidural injections and spinal blocks. The Epidural Positioning Chair is used in Labor and Delivery departments and surgical areas because it’s effective at improving safety while still being comfortable.

4) Why Are Nurses at Risk of Injury During This Procedure, And How Does the Epidural Positioning Benefit Them Specifically?
Nurses are at risk of injury during this procedure because they are typically handling patients manually and having to position the patient in a side lying position or manually positioning a patient at the edge of the bed while supporting the patient as they lean on pillows stacked on an unstable bedside table. The nurse would also be likely holding the stool in place to support the patients feet with his/her own foot. What happens when a patient suddenly moves or passes out and falls to the floor? The nurse often has to catch the falling patient or apply counterpressure to help the patient maintain the correct body position. This manual handling process is outdated and unsafe. The EPD solves all of these issues.

Conclusion

Using the Epidural Positioning Device to improve safety and comfort for patients getting an epidural injection or spinal block is vital in preventing injury to nurses and patients. The epidural device helps reduce the risk of severe complications during these procedures by providing a comfortable and safe way to position patients. Using the device to improve safety and comfort for patients getting an epidural injection or spinal block is vital in preventing injury to nurses and patients. The device helps to reduce the risk of serious complications during these procedures by providing a comfortable and safe way to position patients. Proper positioning is important because it can help reduce the risk of complications and to ensure optimal patient outcomes. An epidural positioning device is considered an essential piece of equipment in Labor and Delivery Unit and surgery departments today.

Improve patient safety with EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

Epidural Chair Solves Spinal Block Positioning for OR

by sphmedicaladmin

Are you looking for a way to keep your patients and hospital’s medical staff safe? Do you want to lower the risk of injuries while helping patients get better faster? The epidural positioning chair may be the answer. Known as the Epidural Chair or the Epidural positioning device (EPD), the EPD is being used in hospitals and surgical practices to enhance patient safety. The device provides secure and comfortable, stable support for patients undergoing epidurals, spinal blocks, or lumbar punctures.

Many departments use EPDs for safe patient handling and to enhance worker safety in clinics, hospitals, and pre-op areas. The imaging and surgery department uses EPDs for comfort, to hold patients in positions for various procedures to reduce the risk of injury to technicians.

Epidural Chair: What is it?

People often mistake it for a chair, but it is actually the bed or table on which the patient is seated. EPD supports the arms, head, chest, and feet while a patient is seated. The device is portable and stable, allowing it to be used at the bedside as you prepare patients for spinal and epidural blocks. Various clinical settings, inside and outside of hospitals, can benefit from EPD. Epidurals are given almost every hour in labor and delivery rooms, and spinal blocks are now being administered even more often as the number of total joint replacements increases.

Epidural Positioner: Ease of use and maintenance

The Epidural Positioning Chair provides a better solution for nurses, medical staff, and health care facilities. Many hospitals consider positioning patients as the standard of care that minimizes the risk of falls, sprains, and injuries. The EPD can be used for epidurals, spinal blocks, thoracentesis, and other pain management procedures.

With EDP, patients can receive spinal blocks or other epidural therapies in a more private, dignified way. This is also safer for caregivers. The armrests adjust in six positions, and the headrest can change 180 degrees. The device can easily fit operating rooms, birthing rooms, clinics, labor and delivery rooms, and imaging departments. Disposable covers make it easy to disinfect and clean the EPD’s face rest.

EPD: The Benefits

During, after, and before the COVID-19 epidemic, thoracentesis became routine. Epidural positioning devices make the process simpler and more predictable. According to an expert, thoracentesis usually involves the patient leaning forward while their arms rest on a bedside table. Patients who cannot sit will lie on their side for safety.

Ultrasound techs also need a safe working environment. Syncope caused by vasovagal responses during thoracentesis can be treated safely with the EPD. Studies show many hospitals and medical centers use the EPD for thoracentesis procedures. It is also very popular with technicians and patients alike. In studies of pregnant women who received epidurals, women found that positioning devices made them feel more comfortable.

Compared to the patient satisfaction before using the devices, patient satisfaction increased significantly. Other benefits include:

  • Maintains correct thoracic, cervical, and lumbar flexion to maintain stable alignment.
  • Provides a more private and less intrusive position for the patients
  • Help to prevent injuries to medical and anesthesia staff.
  • Wheeled for easy mobility
  • Easily fits any patient
  • Increases patient satisfaction

Eliminate Manual Handling with The Epidural Chair

Nurses and caregivers manually position patients for epidural procedures in preoperative settings, operating rooms, and the hospital at large. During most procedures, caregivers must hold a stool, table, and patient steadily with their entire bodies. This prevents the patient from moving, resulting in an injury. When the medical assistant is assisting the patient in holding a flexed spinal position, they are potentially putting themselves in a risky position.

Handling patients manually puts medical staff at risk for musculoskeletal injuries. As part of perioperative procedures, staff members position patients as needed for spinal and epidural blocks, respectively, in Pre-Op, OR, and other rooms as required. Most patients sit at their bedsides and place their feet on a portable stool on wheels by the bedside. To create the “mad cat” flexed spine position, the nurse brings a non-locking bedside table to the patient and places pillows as needed on it. Sometimes, the patient is simply leaning forward while their arms are wrapped around a stack of pillows. By holding the foot stool in place, the nurse keeps the patient’s upper body stationary while holding the foot stool in place with the knees or thighs. The nurse or nurse assistant must often support some of the patient’s body weight during needle insertion.

Further complicating the situation, patients are often in pain, nervous, and unpredictable, putting the staff at risk. Several hospitals have concluded that prolonged holds and counterpressure tasks are high risk. They have redesigned epidural and spinal block placement processes to eliminate manual patient handling based on their predictable daily routine.

Besides reducing risk to the medical staff and caregivers, the Epidural Positioning Device creates a comfortable and safe needle placement position, ensuring increased patient comfort. Experts have shown that “normal” patients suffer injuries when they are handled manually. The constant turning, lifting, pulling, pushing, and transferring has the cumulative effect of causing small tears in the joints and discs, leading to injury.Reduce Risk of Injury in OR with EPD

Safeguarding the medical staff

Strain, back injuries, and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a severe concern for healthcare workers. The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) estimates that around 50 percent of all non-life-threatening injuries sustained by nurses are MSDs, with approximately 25 percent of these injuries involving the back.

The EPD typically addresses these concerns in preoperative rooms, which are prone to injuries. Studies show many prestigious hospitals use the device, including Mayo Clinic, VA Medical Center, Duke University Hospital, and Kaiser Hospitals. This device is an invaluable asset to the imaging team, perioperative, and Labor and Delivery (L&D), a win-win for everyone.

With the EPD, you can immediately and effectively increase patient and staff safety. If you would like more information or to request a quote, contact SPH Medical. The primary focus of SPH Medical is the safety of nurses and caregivers. The national organization offers a wide selection of safe patient handling products to healthcare facilities and hospitals nationwide, such as patient lifting solutions, air assisted transfer and positioning systems, patient slings, Nitrile Exam Gloves, N95 masks, and disinfection products.

Air Transfer System and Epidural Chair by SPH Medical
CategoriesPatient Handling

Safe Patient Handling in Perioperative Areas

by sphmedicaladmin

While Stanford University researchers looked for data on epidurals for pregnant obese women, they found a stunning statistic. Seventy-one percent of all pregnant women get an epidural or other spinal anesthesia, an increase of 10 percent over a ten-year period. Recent advancements in technology allow the SPH Medical Air Transfer System and the Epidural Positioning Chair to help anesthesiologists and nursing staff implement safe patient handling to improved outcomes.

Enhancing Safe Patient Handling Process for Patients and Nurses

The miracle of getting relief from extreme discomfort with an epidural or spinal block helps people tolerate the pain of childbirth and surgery.  Patient positioning by nurses working in the hospital setting is not limited to Labor and Delivery and Surgery departments.  Anywhere patients require physical assistance nurses and therapists are present to help.  Unfortunately, as the keystone of the country’s health care system, nurses experience a higher than average risk of musculoskeletal injury. Delivering care to others often comes at the expense of personal well-being, but specially adapted devices help lighten the load.

Guidelines in the Safe Patient Handling tool kit by the Association of Peri-Operative RNs (AORN) recommend an Air Transfer System for surgical patients over 157 pounds to lessen the incidence of injury to caregivers. In addition, the highly efficient system requires fewer staff members to move patients safely. At SPH Medical, we have perfected the design first introduced in the 90s to reduce risks of infection and cross-contamination. With successful use in surgery departments across the country as a patient-specific device, the system features a Single Patient Use Transfer Mat that remains with each patient until no longer needed.

Exploring the Features of the Air Assisted Transfer System

Each feature of the system contributes to the efficiency and safety of moving patients without risk of injury to staff.

  • Components of each system include a transfer mattress, motor, air hose, power cord and optional transport cart.
  • Safety straps on the transfer pad connect across the patient during transfer.
  • Ergonomic handles allow caregivers to transfer horizontally or boosting up in bed.
  • Perforated air chambers between the transfer mattress and surface reduce friction and provide support for the patient.
  • Optional disposable top sheets on the Single Patient Use Transfer Mat can keep moisture away from the patient and protect the moisture-proof mattress from soiling.
  • An efficient air hose and motor design make the transfer process safe and routine for patients and staff.

Nurses are faced with high frequency patient handling tasks, from repositioning to lateral transfers transfer, that put  them at risk for severe career ending injuries.  The significant direct medical expenses and immeasurable indirect costs of these injuries demand that these high risk tasks are addressed and modified with the appropriate tools to create a safe work environment for nurses.  To address these issues, SPH Medical is delivering innovative devices that provide technological advancements in safety and efficiency to improve patient care and staff safety.

Increasing Safe Patient Handling Practices

As the high volume of surgical cases makes epidurals and spinal blocks almost commonplace, the need to improve positioning deserves attention. However, even though the procedures continue to gain popularity, the constant factor concerns the process of positioning patients.

The traditional method allows a level of imprecision that the Epidural Positioner prevents. Preparation for the procedure required a patient to lie on one side or lean over a bedside table until the gold standard for positioning became essential in hospitals. The Epidural Positioner makes precision the highest priority. Makeshift substitutes for accuracy require patients to use pillows to achieve spinal flexion and allow access to the spine.

Unfortunately, without effective designs that feature technological advances, the nursing staff must position patients manually. Even worse, the procedure requires manual static holding and counterpressure that increases caregivers’ risk of musculoskeletal injury. A safe patient handling tool such as an epidural positioning device (EPD) eliminates the need for manual techniques that create risk for patients and staff.

Reducing the Risk of Injury

An Epidural Positioner provides access for pregnant moms to get relief from unendurable pain, and it has many applications outside the labor and delivery unit. For example, surgical departments worldwide use EPD to prepare patients for joint replacement surgeries. In many cases, a spinal block provides the treatment that has become the standard of care.

Imaging departments have discovered the benefit of the EPD as well.  A common procedure called Thoracentesis which involves draining fluid from the pleural cavity in the lungs requires patient positioning that puts Ultrasound technicians and nurses at risk.  The Epidural Chair solves this issue by safely positioning the patient while allowing access for the pulmonologist to perform the procedure.  The patient is comfortably positioned on the EPD instead of the historic bedside table with pillows that doesn’t lock, a dramatic improvement in safety.

While nursing staff have traditionally used manual handing to achieve proper proper patient positioning in all areas of the hospital, their dedication to duty may come at a great expense.  Occasionally, an exceptional opportunity offers excellent options for patients and nursing staff, and the SPH Medical product offering of Air Assisted Transfer Systems and the EPD provide such access.  SPH Medial delivers a blend of efficiency and effectiveness that removes the burden of pushing, pulling, and lifting by nursing staff significantly reducing risk of injury and dramatically improving patient satisfaction.

Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mat
CategoriesPatient Handling

Air Transfer Systems in the Hospital Setting

by sphmedicaladmin

Anyone working in healthcare is already well aware of the countless hazards that nurses and other professionals have to expose themselves to so they can provide quality care to their patients. From physical injuries to the risk of disease and infection, medical workers truly put themselves in the front lines for the good of the general public. Every piece of equipment that makes healthcare professionals’ jobs safer and easier is a valuable asset. SPH Medical’s Air Transfer Systems are an innovative transfer mat that’s making the lives of nurses and other physicians’ lives easier, allowing them to go home at the end of the day without dealing with pain or injuries.

Of all the patient handling tasks that are performed in hospitals, lateral transfers are among the riskiest maneuvers. For inpatients, transfers from surface to surface happen multiple times every day. Each additional transfer increases the likelihood of something going wrong and a nursing injury occurring.

To make matters worse, manual transfers often don’t involve enough caregivers to safely move the patient from A to B. What ends up happening in many cases is the use of improper tools like a draw sheet, sliding the patient from bed to gurney with a plastic board underneath. It doesn’t take an expert to understand that this method doesn’t eliminate nearly enough friction to create a comfortable – or safe – experience for anyone involved.

Single Patient Use transfer mats are a simple yet highly effective way of modifying the lateral transfer process to eliminate safety hazards in myriad hospital departments. This includes the ICU, the ER, Surgery, Medical units, Imaging, and countless others.

There were an estimated 294,000 nonfatal work-related illnesses and injuries experienced by hospital workers in 2014. These injuries and illnesses come with a steep price tag for hospitals, putting all the more pressure on administrators to take every possible action to avoid them and protect their employees.

Fortunately, the trend for hospital workers being injured or getting sick on the job has been steadily declining amongst all healthcare industries for the past several years. This good news is likely due to the increased adoption of innovative new equipment like these Single Patient Use transfer mats.

Still, protecting healthcare workers’ safety is crucial because a federal safe patient handling law has yet to be enacted. The only states that have enacted safe patient handling laws or related rules and regulations are California, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Maryland, New Jersey, Minnesota, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Missouri.

A Company Committed to Safety

The main focus of SPH Medical as a company is minimizing the risks that caregivers are exposed to. Their product lines provide innovative new ways to reshape medical practices in a variety of areas and create a safer environment for the professionals working in this field. It’s imperative that the safety of healthcare workers is protected to enabled them to better carry out their jobs of caring for everybody else.

Why Single Patient Use Air Transfer Systems?

The Single Patient Use transfer mat is disposable and thus removes the risk of infections being transmitted in the hospital setting. This includes infections spreading both patient-to-patient and patient-to-physician.

Using a new transfer mat every time also eliminates the risk of a mat wearing down over time and becoming defective. All it takes is one faulty transfer mat to result in a serious repositioning injury, so these Single Patient Use mats eliminate this possibility altogether.

Benefits to Patients

The most important benefit to patients is one that they might not appreciate in the moment unless they’re in the unfortunate situation of things going wrong: safety. When used properly, these types of transfer mats make things go so safely and smoothly that patients are often not even thinking about the potential risks that they’re avoiding.

Those who are on the receiving end of these transfer mats will be able to feel the difference as well. With a design that has the patient in mind and quality materials that are up for the job, Single Patient Use lateral transfer mats make a world of difference in the comfort level of their experience.

The New Air Transfer Systems

Air Transfer Systems are the most innovative and safe method of transferring patients from surface to surface. Using an inflatable mattress, a thin air cushion is created beneath the patient to reduce the amount of friction and smoothly transfer them into a bed or gurney. The result is a weightless experience for the patient, so much so that they’re said to be “floated” from one surface to the other.

Air Assisted Transfer Systems have various applications; from lateral transfers to repositioning bedridden patients. With patients who are unable to move on their own, it’s crucial that they’re repositioned regularly to avoid sores and other health problems. With the help of these new technological innovations, nurses are able to stay as safe as possible while doing these daily work tasks.

Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress
CategoriesPatient Handling

Top 10 Questions about Single Patient Use Air Mattress

by sphmedicaladmin

Across the globe, the SPH Medical’s Air Transfer System (ATS) keeps patients and caregivers safe. We provide a full range of widths and lengths to suit your hospital’s safety program with the highest quality control, backed by a manufacturer’s warranty and safe patient handling education. Performing patient transfers, repositioning up in bed, turning from one position to another is a daily task for nurses.  Even though it is routine and done frequently, moving patients can be a challenging task that can cause injuries to staff and patients. The single patient use air mattress is a prominent transfer device. Research has shown that air-assist technology has many benefits. With a number of air transfer systems available, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you. To emphasize the importance of safe patient handling, we have compiled a top ten questions from direct customer questions and feedback.

Q: 1. How do air-assisted transfer systems work?

A: The Air Transfer Mattresses have many small air hole perforations that allow air to escape when the motor or air supply inflates the mattress. As a result of the air passing through these holes, the mattress will have less friction against the bed surface. With low friction, it is easy to transfer the patient. When two surfaces are separated by air, they move freely like a tabletop air hockey game or hovercraft.

Q: 2. What are the main components of the Air Transfer System?

A: The main components include the mattress, hose assembly, air supply or blower unit, ergonomic handles, and patient safety straps.

Q: 3. Which is more common the Single Patient Use or Launderable version?

A: A patient’s or medical facility’s laundry system and capital budget planning may determine whether the air transfer systems deployed are single patient use or Launderable.  Hospitals that tend so send their laundry out to third part laundry providers often find that their hospital owned goods get lost by their laundry providers!

Many hospitals have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of slings and transfer mattresses.  For this reason the Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress has gained significant popularity.  Avoiding that horrible laundry system and being able to keep track of inventory on the shelf allows you to track actual usage which directly correlates to risk avoidance and reduced injury costs!

Capital budgets can be difficult to navigate for those in charge of Safe Patient Handling programs as they compete with other hospital priorities to purchase new life saving equipment or revenue generating solutions needed by various departments.  Although the investment in patient lifts, slings, mobility solutions, and Air Transfer Systems is an essential need it often falls behind these other priorities.  If there is a concerted effort by a team of leaders from all departments including Nursing, Physical Therapy, Surgery, and Imaging these essential purchases can be prioritized and eventually made after lengthy budget planning.

The Single Patient Use Transfer Mattress is a much easier item to deploy for this reason.  It is a supply item.  Each department can place their order weekly or monthly and get the supplies they need and this typically avoids the entire capital budgeting nightmare.  With SPH Medical Air Transfer Mat, adopting this gold standard technology has never been more affordable.

With SPH Medical, you will find a complete range of Air Transfer solutions, including single patient use and durable options. They are expert at Safe Patient Handling and understand the unique injury risks and needs of each and every type of patient care environment.  Their experience includes implementing a complete range of solutions in Labor and Delivery, ICU, Med Surgery, Imaging, General Surgery, Rehab, and many other departments.

Q: 4. How does the system reduce the risk of injuries to nurses?

A: Hospital staff who perform frequent repositioning tasks or lateral patient transfers are at risk of suffering a back injury.  These high frequency tasks are predictable and the old fashion way of manually boosting, turning or transferring patients is a well known cause of career ending back injuries.  Although lower severity back injuries along with strains and sprains are common and often do not receive much attention, these injuries cause facilities significant losses in productivity and money.  The Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress improves nursing efficiency and improves patient care by reducing the need for 3-4 nurses to perform a task. For manual handling or alternative non-air friction reducing devices, it takes at least three hospital employees to transfer a patient, but with the Air Transfer System it only take two.  This increased efficiency means that they nurses can perform other tasks or attend to their other patients rather than being constantly called to assist.

Q: 5. Is the single Patient Use version breathable (Can it be left under patients)

A: SPH Medical has conducted thorough pressure mapping, and breathability testing on its Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mat to ensure that it is safe for patients as well as caregivers.  Based on pressure mapping and moisture vapor transmission testing, there is minimal impact to the support surface and patient when lying on the Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mat, making it safe to leave it under patients all day.

Having housekeeping staff make the unoccupied bed with the Air Transfer Mat means that nurses have the ability to boost, turn, and transfer whenever needed.  This increase in availability and accessibility equals improved safety for nursing staff.

Q: 6. Does the motor or Air Supply go with the patient during transport (on the bed or gurney)?

A. Yes.  The SPH Medical Air Supply has convenient hooks on the back that allow it to hang on the foot of the bed or the stretcher.  In some cases the transport staff moving a patient will put the air supply underneath the stretcher if there is space.  Several transport carts and stands are available to hold the Air Supply and Single Patient Use Transfer Mats.  Some hospitals prefer to leave the Air Supply in each department so you just use the Air Supply at the destination end to transfer or move the patient.  In this scenario where the entire hospital has Air Supplies you never need to bring it with you.

Q: 7. Can the Air Transfer System be left under patients during X-Ray or CT Scan?

A: Yes. The majority of air transfer mattresses are safe and radiolucent and offer a safe environment for imaging procedures and x-rays. If you are requesting information on a product, confirm with the company.

Q: 8. What is the typical cost for a Single Patient Use Air Transfer mattresses?

A: Price ranges typically range from $75 to $100 each, depending on contract relationships and volume purchases, without including Air Supply and Transport Stands.

Q: 9. What is the Return on Investment realized when implementing a hospital-wide Air Transfer and Positioning solution?

A: Air Transfer and positioning solutions can help reduce injuries, costs, and resources. Hospitals can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on direct injuries with the implementation of Air Transfer and positioning solutions. But indirect injuries have been estimated, but indirect injuries cost three to ten times as much.

A national survey of 1,000 hospitals shows that patient handling injuries account for 25 percent of workers’ compensation claims. Patient handling injuries are the most expensive type of hospital workers’ injury. Along with direct expenses, hospitals have indirect costs that are hard to measure but have a tangible impact on finances and resources. These include overtime, training, productivity, morale, employee turnover, and incident investigation time.

Q: 10. Are air-assisted devices safe for handling patients?

A: An Air Transfer System is one of the safest transfer and repositioning solutions available today.  This proven technology has now been in use for more than 30 years and has been implemented on virtually all hospital units where repositioning, turning, and lateral transfers occur.  There are other injury prevention solutions that are currently used in hospitals to lift move and transfer patients but nurses and technical staff have reported that the Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress is the most convenient and user friendly Safe Patient Handling solution.  Today the SPH Medical Air  Transfer System is considered the gold standard of patient transfer systems.

In addition to being safe for caregivers, the single patient use Air Transfer Mattress has become a key component of the hospital infection prevention plan.  Even prior to COVID-19 the hospitals have been focused on the reduction of HAI’s or Hospital Acquired infections.  The Single Patient use version of the Air Transfer Mattress stays with the patient during their entire length of stay and when soiled, or the patient is discharged, the item is thrown away.  No laundering or messy spray and wiping disinfection is required.

It is also important that the mattress inflates at the perimeter before inflating at the center. As a result, the patient rests in a cradle, which reduces the chances of tipping over.

The Epidural Positioning Device for safety
CategoriesPatient Handling

How to Improve Staff Safety During Epidurals and Spinal Blocks

by sphmedicaladmin

When most people think about the effectiveness of modern healthcare, they think about innovative robotic surgeries or new medications. While these advancements certainly are relevant, they are not the only advancements that improve patient outcomes and increase staff safety during epidurals or procedures. One of the most recent innovations is an epidural positioning device.

Known more commonly as an EPD, this device is designed to provide better support for patients during the administration of an epidural or spinal block. An epidural positioning chair is most likely to be employed by an anesthesiologist and nursing staff to provide optimal spinal, lumbar, or cervical flexion. The patients will also see direct benefits.

The need for proper positioning relates to how an epidural is administered. The epidural injection occurs in the space between the spinal column and outer membrane of the spinal cord also known, as the epidural space, in the mid to lower back. The flexed spine position opens up this space. Epidurals are perhaps best known as a tool for pain control or analgesia during labor and delivery. Spinal blocks are similar procedures. However, a spinal block is a single shot in the dural sac. The relief is fast and effective. That is why a spinal block is common in general surgery.

Staff Safety During Epidurals wit the EPD

Despite the large volume of these procedures, the process of positioning patients today remains a manual and risky process for nursing staff during epidurals. Traditionally, patients must be moved in either a side lying position or leaning over a woefully unstable bedside table with pillow to enable spinal flexion and to provide access to the spine. Often, nursing staff must manually position patients and hold them in place. This requires a lot of manual static holding, counter-pressure, and other manualManual Handling Patients during Epidural pushing and pulling, which puts the support staff at risk of a musculoskeletal injury. Over time, this can lead to muscle or joint disorders that cause long-term impairment or pain. The risk to staff is often overlooked on the Labor and Delivery unit where nursing injuries are increasingly problematic for both employees and costly for hospitals.

Moreover, this process can be quite uncomfortable for patients. The idea of getting a shot in the spine can already be unnerving for some patients. The manual process of being held in place can increase any associated anxiety. Plus, since the process is done manually, there is some risk of movement or error. Patients often have higher comfort levels when they feel stable, properly supported, and secure.Improve Patient Safety with EPD

In this manner, the EPD solves problems from both ends. With an epidural positioning device, patients can be properly positioned without manual patient handling that puts nurses at risk of injury. Instead, patients are comfortably positioned with adjustable arm rests, a face rest and a foot plate so they can comfortably remain still while the anesthesiologist has direct access to the spine. Patients are far more comfortable, and the risk of injury to staff is dramatically reduced.

Epidural Positioning Chair

The applications for the epidural positioner are vast. They can easily be incorporated into the labor and delivery unit for expectant moms. The EPD has also gained a great deal of popularity in surgical departments across the globe. These positioners can be used to help patients prepare for common joint replacement surgeries where spinal blocks are a normal part of the standard of care.

Now, the positioners are even being purchased for use in imaging departments. There is a growing consensus that the use of a positioner can be useful during a thoracentesis. This unique procedure requires the doctor to insert a needle through the chest wall. The needle is then directed to the space between the lung and the chest wall. In some conditions, fluid can accumulate in this area. This is known as pleural effusion, and it can make it difficult to breathe. A thoracentesis, therefore, will ease the pressure on the lungs while also making it easier to diagnose the cause of the fluid buildup.

The EPD Providing Staff Safety

Given the precise positioning needed to complete a delicate procedure like a thoracentesis, the use of a positioner has obvious benefits. It is easier to get the patient into the correct position, and the positioner ensures that the patient does not shift or move during the procedure. When the process involves the use of needles in a sensitive area, secure precision is preferable.

In the end, medical advancements come in all shapes and sizes. While a positioner may not seem as dramatic as some breakthroughs, the benefits of the Epidural Positioning Chair cannot be overstated. To improve staff safety during epidurals and to increase patient comfort, the advantages make a clear argument for increased usage and broader implementation. New applications are continuing to be discovered, and it is clear that the EPD deserves a place in hospitals worldwide.

AORN recommends using an Air Powered Lateral Transfer System for supine transfers in Perioperative care areas
CategoriesPatient Handling

Reduce Risk of Injury and Infections with Air Transfer Technology

by sphmedicaladmin

Implementing Air Transfer Technology Reduces the Risk of Infections and Staff Injury in Hospitals

Hospitals are typically viewed as place where state of the art healthcare services are provided.  However hospitals today are still not the safest places to work. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic nurses and healthcare workers have been exposed to workplace injuries from manually lifting, moving and transferring patients. Infection prevention was always a top concern as well for both staff and patients. Hospitals and their infection prevention team has had their hands full preventing cross contamination and transmission of deadly viruses within the hospital. Some of these pathogens include C. difficile, MRSA, VRE, H1N1 and many more. The risks abound for patients and staff. According to the CDC, “On any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection.” One way to reduce both the risk of injury and Hospital Associated Infections is to streamline transfer and positioning processes with the Air Transfer Technology from SPH Medical.

The Air Transfer System is a multifaceted approach to solving the issues associated with lateral transfer. Lateral transfers are quite common in the hospital setting, and they are also one of the most dangerous patient-handling tasks. During a global pandemic, lateral transfers can be especially unnerving. When moving patients from one surface to another, there is a risk of contamination. As patients are moved around the hospital, they can leave a trail of germs that allows pathogens to spread. Healthcare associated infections are incredibly problematic. By the best estimates, one in every 31 patients will be infected each day.

The Air Transfer System can minimize the risk of HAI’s within a facility. These systems are designed for single-patient use. In other words, they are not shared from patient to patient. This is more important than ever. With increased concern over the spread of germs within hospitals, infection prevention protocols have become more stringent. Using single patient use devices is a further advancement in minimizing the risk of infection.

The injury risk to nursing staff associated with patient positioning and transfers may even be of greater concern. Compared to other work settings, hospitals are among the most dangerous places to work. The risk of injury is 5.9 per 100 workers. This compares to a risk of 2.6 per 100 workers in other industries. Much of this risk comes from pushing, pulling, boosting, holding, and transferring patients. Patients are moved all the time.

For example, an ICU nurse caring for four patients over a 12 hour shift performs an estimated 48 repositioning tasks that include boosting and turning every two hours! Now consider that patients are getting heavier and typically average 250-300lbs and the nurse is considerably smaller having to manually move these patients. Nurses are the coordinators of care often the ones responsible for repositioning, turning and transfers. It is not surprising, therefore, that 80 percent of nurses endure some injury on the job.

Manual Patient Handling

When a patient is moved in bed or is transferred from one surface to another, it is often a manual process. In other words, the patient must be lifted or pulled up in bed or slid over from a bed to a gurney. In some cases, a draw sheet may be used or some other type of friction reducing device may be used like the old fashioned plastic slider board that always hangs at the end of the hall. However, the draw sheets actually cause nurses to lift, and the plastic boards do not reduce friction sufficiently to reduce risk. The cumulative trauma from the predictable and repetitive patient positioning and transferring tasks have been documented as leading causes of injury to nurses.

This does not mean that injury is inevitable. Thanks to proven technology, it is possible to make transfers safer and reduce the risk of nursing injury and repositioning injury. Just consider the SPH Medical Air Transfer System. The single patient use Air Transfer Mats are part of this system from SPH Medical. The technology dramatically improves the efficiency of patient positioning and transferring while reducing risk of risk.

The New Standard of Care

The Air Transfer System utilizes the power of air to inflate the mattress and safely cradle the patient while releasing air through the bottom of the mattress to virtually eliminate friction. Nurses can easily reposition patients or float them from one surface to another. Air transfer technology is fast becoming the standard of care for surgery departments and the OR within Labor and Delivery Units. The Association of Peri-Operative Nurses, AORN, recently released their updated Safe Patient Handling tool kit and recommends its usage for all patients greater than 157 lbs that require lateral transfers.

Air Powered systems make repositioning a patient up in bed safer for nurses. Patients who are confined to bed, or bed bound, and unable to turn and move on their own must be turned and repositioned every two hours for wound prevention. In-bed repositioning poses risks similar to lateral transfers. In the past, two nurses would simply grab the bedsheet to boost the patient and lift or drag the patient up in bed. When repeated all throughout the day, the risk of injury is prevalent. The single patient use Air Transfer Mat stays underneath the patient to enable safe repositioning. With a simple flip of the switch the mat will inflate and nurses can boost a patient with ease, even heavy patients.

These are just a few examples of how Air Powered systems are so important to nursing safety. Patients who require total care put a real strain on a nurse’s physical health. While it is imperative to provide critical care for these patients, it is equally important to keep nurses safe in the process. Fortunately, the SPH Medical Air Transfer Technology can serve both purposes. Total care patients will be safer and more comfortable throughout their stay, and nurses and other hospital staff will be at a reduced risk of injury.

These risks are not overstated. In fact, if anything, there is not nearly enough attention given to the problems associated with a patient transfer process in the hospital. There are entire legislative solutions that have been passed to address the issue, and the CDC has taken a proactive approach to set infection prevention guidelines for both patient and staff safety.

The risks are real. Fortunately, it is possible to significantly impact the challenges of Healthcare Associated Infections and patient positioning with single patient use Air Transfer Mats from SPH Medical.

The EPD improves nursing and patient safety
CategoriesPatient Handling

Staff Safety During Epidurals and Spinal Blocks

by sphmedicaladmin

No Room for Error When It Comes To Staff Safety

It’s hard to imagine health care without anesthesia or analgesia. Even after 175 years, they’re a medical marvel that no one takes for granted. Technology and innovation may evolve at lightning speed, but there are still no shortcuts during epidurals and spinal blocks. Whenever anesthetists place a needle in a patient, they summon all their knowledge, training, skill, experience and powers of concentration. Where the spinal cord and nerve roots are concerned, there’s no room for error. Simply put, if epidural placement is inaccurate, pain is the least of anyone’s worries.

Positioning the Patient: What’s the Problem?

There’s more to getting pain medicine to the right place than most people realize. Before the needle can be positioned, the patient must be positioned. That’s almost always easier said than done, especially when the patient is elderly or feeble, has difficulty following instructions, or outweighs the assisting nurse. That last scenario is quite common and highly problematic.

In 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses were injured on the job at a significantly higher rate than full-time workers in other occupations. Fifty-one percent of injuries involved muscle strains, sprains or tears, and more than a fourth of those were back-related. The average recovery time away from work was seven days.

Work-related MSDs, or musculoskeletal disorders, are injuries caused by lifting or overexertion. In 2016, MSDs accounted for a whopping 44 percent of RNs’ occupational injuries.

Needless to say, if nurses go down, the whole system goes down. Maybe you’ve never given or received epidurals and spinal blocks. If not, you’re probably thinking, “How hard can it be to tell a patient how to sit?”

Well, it’s a little like telling a ballerina to hold a picture-perfect arabesque while the photographer tries different angles.

That’s an extreme example, but the point is this: Patients are asked to assume an unnatural position and sustain it throughout a tricky procedure that can’t be rushed. Incredibly, some rather primitive methods are still employed.

The Perils of Manual Positioning

To achieve the ideal position, it’s not uncommon for staff members to prop up patients on rickety bedside tables and unwieldy pillows. Nurses and anesthesiologists who lack state-of-the-art equipment must be resourceful.

With any luck, the bedside table won’t collapse or tip. Hopefully, the pillows won’t slip to the floor with the patient close behind. Women receiving epidurals before hard labor, even those who avoid injury, are in no mood for such nonsense. The assisting staff member could easily become the next patient.

Given all the things that could go wrong with manual positioning, it’s easy to see why EPD use is becoming more widespread.

The Epidural Positioning Device

For epidurals and spinal blocks it is necessary, the EPD (epidural positioning device) is a godsend. The design takes several things into account:

  • Ease and accuracy of epidural placement.
  • Patient stability and comfort.
  • Weight support up to 600 pounds.
  • Portability.
  • Staff safety.

The epidural positioner is not just a luxury item any more than a seat belt is a nice accessory for a car. EPDs make it easier for anesthesiologists to do their job. EPDs keep nurses healthy and on top of their game. EPDs help patients receive first-rate care with optimal outcomes. Given all those benefits and more, EPDs are increasingly considered necessary.

The Epidural Positioner in Thoracentesis

EDPs are widely used in labor and delivery, surgery and orthopedics. They are even useful in radiology departments.

Thoracentesis, also known as pleural tap, is a procedure to remove excess fluid in the lungs. A little fluid is appropriate for lubrication; it keeps the membranes involved in breathing from rubbing together. However, too much fluid interferes with lung capacity. Labored breathing and pain result. Excess fluid can also interfere with imaging or diagnosing disease.

In any case, thoracentesis also requires careful patient positioning and needle placement. During Thoracentesis patients must be supported in a comfortable position over a prolonged period while drainage occurs. Radiologists and their imaging teams are thankful for the EPDs that make their jobs easier and prevent injuries.

The uses and benefits of the epidural positioner become more apparent all the time. This is one innovation that will be around for a while.

https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2018/article/occupational-injuries-and-illnesses-among-registered-nurses.htm

SPH Medical RoWalker for Safe Patient Mobility
CategoriesPatient Handling

Mobilize Patients Early and Often

by sphmedicaladmin

The SPH Medical RoWalker Helping Mobilize Patients

Studies show the efficacy of mobilize patients early, and its benefits contribute significantly to patient health. Everyone on a health care team shares an interprofessional responsibility to provide treatment. However, the task of delivering ambulatory care typically rests with nurses who spend more time with patients than other health care team members. The SPH Medical RoWalker assists in providing the service that patients require, and it makes delivery easier for nurses.

Considering the Benefits of Early Patient Mobility

Combating the harmful effects of immobility on deconditioned patients, early patient mobility equipment contributes significant benefits. It improves muscle strength for bed-bound patients after days of immobility and inactivity. In addition, it reduces the incidence of delirium. Patients who use it tend to achieve better functional status after hospital release. Experts point to a potentially lower rate of mortality as well.

A reduction in days on a ventilator or in the ICU helps lower the cost of hospital care. When you mobilize patients early it improves respiratory and circulatory function in ICU patients. Getting out of bed and moving around multiple times a day with the RoWalker improves health outcomes significantly. Treatment that can produce a reduced length of stay helps improve patients’ overall quality of life.

As a falls prevention and ambulation tool that mobilizes patients, the RoWalker has proven its value across the country with a 10-year record of reliability. Moreover, early patient mobility does much more than making it easier for patients to move around from one location to another. While it may not occur to others who can move about freely, mobility lets people take care of routine activities of daily life. It provides opportunities for the expression of emotions and gratification of needs that everyone experiences. As an aid to enhancing the body’s ability to repair an injury and heal itself, the RoWalker serves an invaluable purpose.

Assisting Nurses in Providing Care

Research shows that functional decline in patients accompanies immobility. Outcomes include falls, delirium, increased length of hospital stay and an inability to conduct daily activities. Additionally, the loss of ambulatory independence can affect the quality of life. Enabling patients to move about, the SPH Medical RoWalker delivers care efficiently and enhances the safety of care providers. Nurses can rely on the equipment to provide the measure of support that a patient requires. In addition, the design makes it easy for both nurses and patients to use.

Safe Patient Mobility with SPH Medical RoWalker

Understanding the Conveniences

The design of the RoWalker incorporates the features that give patients and nurses assurance of efficiency and safety. With a 400-lb weight capacity, it mobilizes patients early and reduces the length of stay. The effectiveness of the design challenges patients to walk a little further with confidence and without the need for additional falls prevention.

Using the SPH Medical RoWalker provides the confidence and sense of well-being that encourages deconditioned patients with muscle weakness from inactivity to use it. Nurses can facilitate progress without strain or worry as the equipment handles every challenge smoothly and efficiently.

 

  • Movement ControlThe SPH Medical RoWalker supports IV and Oxygen
    Brakes and a directional wheel lock feature control the movement of the RoWalker. The directional locks enable the SPH Medical RoWalker to track in a straight line. Conveniently located and easy to access, the brakes and locks provide safe and reliable ambulation.
  • Access to Oxygen
    An oxygen tank holder with a convenient location on the front of the RoWalker ensures access to oxygen for patients when needed.
  • Seating Comfort and falls prevention
    Seats can flip up and rotate out to make it easy for patients to get into position to use the equipment. The seat flaps allow a patient to take a rest and sit down if they get tired. The seat flaps eliminate the requirement to pull a wheelchair behind a patient to try to catch a falling patient. Padded armrests and hand grips provide the extra comfort level that encourages patients to get the exercise that early patient mobility offers.
  • Height Accommodation
    An adjustable height feature allows the SPH Medical RoWalker to serve patients of any size. The equipment adapts to the height of each patient instead of requiring nurses to provide alternative measures. An adjustable IV pole stands above the unit to allow unimpeded access to the vital supply that patients may need while getting ambulatory exercise.
  • Storage Basket
    On the front of the RoWalker, an attractive metal basket provides a convenient place to store cardiac monitors or other small items that patients may need while away from their room.

Choosing Effective Equipment to Mobilize Patients

Years of development based on feedback from respiratory and physical therapists, nurses and cardiothoracic surgeons have produced the unique ergonomic design of the SPH Medical RoWalker. Initially designed for post cardiac/abdominal surgery patients, it has become the preferred choice for early patient mobility. In addition, major departments in hospitals across the country choose it for complex patient conditions, falls prevention and encouragement to exercise safely.

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