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The SPH Medical RoWalker improves patient outcomes
CategoriesPatient Handling

Early Mobility and the RoWalker

by sphmedicaladmin

Medically speaking, early patient mobility means mobilizing or getting a patient out of bed within hours of their intensive care stay in a hospital. And there are several reasons why this is of utmost importance, notes an evidence based study from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In that study, researchers revealed that early mobility reduces a patient’s chances of suffering from muscle weakness and delirium, which are both, unfortunately, quite common among bedridden patients.

But reducing the risk of muscle weakness and delirium are not the only benefits that come from getting patients up and out of bed as soon as possible. In a separate study published jointly by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, researchers found that hospital patients who spend less time confined to their hospital beds are less likely to encounter the following health problems:

  • Decubitus ulcers
  • Various blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis
  • Pneumonia
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Weighs in on the Benefits of Early Patient Mobility

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, one of twelve agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that early patient mobility in mechanically ventilated patients can lead to shorter hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays. The same was said to apply to lowering a patient’s chances of suffering from the following:

  • Sleeping disorders
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Mobility issues, such as weak bones, weak muscles, and stiff joints

Why More Hospitals Are Using Safe Patient Handling Programs to Ambulate Bedridden Patients

Although hospital medical teams can position and reposition patients as needed for medical treatments, doing so is hardly efficient. Further, multiple studies show it puts medical teams at risk of suffering overexertion-related musculoskeletal disorders. Available data shows these disorders, which can cause severe back, neck, shoulder, arm, and leg pain, contributed to more than 8,700 missed work days among hospital medical teams in 2016. To improve efficiency and keep patients and hospital medical teams safe, many hospitals have implemented safe patient-handling programs to help mobilize bedridden patients.

What Is a Safe Patient Handling Program?

Succinctly put, a safe patient handling program is a program that comprises extensive training and assistive devices that help medical teams safely and efficiently lift, move, support, reposition, and ambulate patients. One assistive device many hospitals use today to keep their medical teams and patients safe is the RoWalker from SPH Medical. For those who have never seen one, a RoWalker is a fully adjustable platform walker that aids medical teams in freeing patients from the beds that confine them and helping to get them up and standing, taking first steps, and then walking around the unit as they progress functionally. The device also has armrests and handlebars, which help with ergonomics and overall comfort. But it does not end there in terms of what it offers patients and medical teams.

What Hospitals Are Saying About the SPH Medical RoWalker

Several studies show hospitals are beyond happy with the SPH Medical RoWalker. The reason for that supreme elation partly stems from the fact that the SPH Medical RoWalker, designed based on recommendations from leading cardio-thoracic surgeons, physical therapists, and respiratory therapists, can support patients weighing up to 400 pounds. That means patient-handling tasks require fewer medical teams; as such, those team members are free to participate in other activities that are also critical to that patient’s overall care. Many hospitals also like how the RoWalker can carry many of the things that most hospital patients need as they move away from bedside and walk down the hallway, some of which include

  • An oxygen tank
  • Drainage bags
  • An IV pole
  • A small cardiac monitor

Indeed, the benefits of implementing a safe patient-handling program in a hospital are plenty. And that applies to hospital teams and patients alike. To learn more about RoWalker and other devices that go hand in hand with a safe patient-handling program, consider speaking with an SPH Medical associate today.

Improve Spinal Block Safety as well as Epidural and Lumbar Puncture safety with the Epidural Positioning Device
CategoriesPatient Handling

Advancements in Spinal Block Safety

by sphmedicaladmin

 

The Epidural Positioning Device Improving Spinal Block Safety

There have been many advancements in Safe Patient Handling over the recent years. One very simple advancement has been the SPH Medical Epidural Positioning Device. This simple tool offers improved patient comfort and safety while positioning patients in the ideal flexed spine position. Most importantly it protects the caregivers, nurses, and anesthesia techs that use it and prevents staff injuries. When patients have surgery like a hip or knee replacement or go into labor before delivering a baby, they are commonly given pain relief via an epidural injection or spinal block. Any hospital unit can utilize an epidural positioning device (EPD) to improve a patient’s stability and comfort while they are receiving a spinal block. This device, also known as an Epidural Chair, decreases the risk of musculoskeletal injury to clinical staff as they position a patient to provide an epidural procedure as well as improves spinal block safety. Using this specialized equipment makes it easier for nurses, anesthesiologists, and other health care professionals to engage in safe patient handling practices at all times.

Many surgeons who perform complete knee or hip replacements prefer to recommend spinal blocks rather than general anesthesia for their patients. This treatment allows patients to start moving right away as they recover from surgery. The epidural positioning device can safely position patients in a seated position during many different types of procedures. Nursing staff and other qualified medical professionals in a Surgery Department or Labor and Delivery Unit can make adjustments to the device so that it can accommodate a variety of body types.

Safety and comfort improved with the EPD for Spinal Blocks, Epidurals, Lumbar Puncture and Thoracentesis

Safely Perform an Epidural or Spinal Blocks with the EPD

When a patient is seated at bedside or on a stretcher supported by an Epidural Chair, medical professionals can safely perform a spinal block or epidural procedure without difficulty. Funny enough, it’s not actually a chair as it has no seat! The patient actually sits on the bed or gurney and The EPD is brought over to them to provide support. As a patient leans forward against the EPD, the device promotes an ideal degree of thoracic, lumbar, and cervical spinal flexion that makes it easy for an anesthesiologist to insert a needle between their vertebrae. The specialty chair supports the patient so that staff members will never need to use their own weight to stabilize, hold, fix, or balance their body. Nurses and other clinical professionals who bear the weight of their patients can suffer sustained physical stress that can damage their own joints after a period of time. An unstable, large, or medicated patient can easily harm a staff member via improper physical contact. Using this specialized chair also decreases the chance that a patient or staff member will be injured from a slip or fall. Injuries can also be caused when sliding or rolling furniture or equipment strikes or collides with a patient or staff member.

An Epidural Chair can greatly benefit a hospital’s orthopedic surgery department or labor and delivery unit. This device is easy to add to any inventory of essential equipment. Keeping and using an epidural positioning device may increase spinal block safety and decrease a hospital’s risk of liability. According to researchers at Stanford University, the number of annual epidural procedures undertaken in the United States is increasing. The journal Anesthesiology published a report in 2018 stating that from 2009 to 2015, a large percentage of the 17 million women who delivered babies received a spinal analgesic. 68% of women who were at a normal weight and 76% of women who were overweight received this epidural treatment during labor. In 2008, 10% fewer pregnant women received the same epidural procedure. As spinal blocks become more frequent, patients and staff face greater chances of experiencing accidental injury, doing harm to equipment, wasting time, and enduring unfortunate or unsatisfying situations. Adding an EPD to a hospital’s depository of specialty equipment promotes safety and well-being for staff and patients and enhances the overall healthcare experience.

Sources:

Anesthesiology September 2018, Vol. 129, 448–458.

Tracie White. “Epidurals increase in popularity, Stanford study finds.” Scope 10K, Stanford Medicine, 26 Jun. 2018. Accessed 3 May 2022.

Alexander J. Butwick, Cynthia A. Wong, and Nan Guo. “Maternal Body Mass Index and Use of Labor Neuraxial Analgesia: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study.”Anesthesiology, Vol. 129, Sept. 2018, ASA Publications. Accessed 3 May 2022.

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.

Single Patient Use Slings are a cost effective way to reduce risk of injury to nurses.
CategoriesSlings and Lifts

Single Patient Use Slings Reduce Injuries

by sphmedicaladmin

Single Patient Use Slings and Repositioning Sheets in Hospitals

Repositioning sheets are specialized slings that are used to reposition patients in their beds. They are especially beneficial in hospital units that have total care patients (patients who are bed bound and are unable to turn themselves in bed and need full nursing assistance). Since the patient can’t move or position themselves, it’s the nurse’s duty to reposition them every two hours to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. However, patient repositioning is one of the major causes of nursing injuries. Thankfully, SPH Medical solves this problem by providing hospitals and healthcare facilities with a broad range of single patient use slings and repositioning sheets. They also equip facilities with overhead ceiling lifts and mobile lifts, which are essential for the effective use of the sheets.  The goal of using patient lift equipment is to reduce the risk of injury to nursing staff by eliminating manual patient handling.  OSHA safe lifting guidelines state that nurses shouldn’t be lifting more than 35 pounds, and yet most patients are 180- 250 pounds on average, and many are much heavier.

The benefit of having a breathable repositioning sheet is that it can remain under the patient, and since it connects to the overhead or mobile lift, boosting or turning patients is safe and easier for nursing staff. They can also hold the patient in a side-lying position for cleaning or wound dressing changes. These sheets are also used to transfer patients from bed to a stretcher or to assist with linen changes.

What are Single Patient Use Repositioning Sheets?

A single patient use slings and repositioning sheets (SPU) are a sheet that’s used by a single patient. These are considered disposable but they can be used multiple times with the same patient until they are either soiled, no longer needed due to changing patient conditions or upon patient discharge.  Caregivers often use these sheets in hospitals and nursing homes to improve safety and patient care. The purpose of the sheet is primarily to eliminate the manual lifting that typically occurs with the high frequency task of repositioning and turning patients in bed.  However, given that it enables more efficient boosting and turning one could say that patients are more likely to repositioned which protects patients’ skin.

There are various types of slings including the highback disposable sling and the universal sling, even amputee slings and commode slings. The highback sling is the most common type of seated style lifting sling as it offers extra support to the head in case the patient doesn’t have good head or neck control. This type of sling is often the standard of care in hospitals because it accommodates all patients. Seated position slings are designed to assist with lifting and transferring patients from bed to chair, and back, or over to a wheelchair or toilet.

Single patient use repositioning sheets are made of a safe breathable material for the patient and are comfortable to lie on. Since the sheet is made of a soft cotton/poly blend material, it’s does not cause any irritation to the patients’ skin. Moreover, it’s designed to be used by only one patient and this ensures that the there is reduced risk that the patient is exposed to cross contamination from other slings or sheets that are used with other patients.

Comparison between Launderable and Single Patient Use Slings

Disposable slings, or SPU slings, are more cost effective than launderable slings when considering all of the benefits that they offer in terms of risk reduction and injury prevention.  For starters, ordering these slings is generally easier as they become a standard supply item.  Once on hand you can easily track the available stock and therefore their usage. What’s more, unlike their counterparts, you don’t have to deal with long laundry processes or slings getting lost in the laundry system.

There are many reasons why the disposable options are better for patient care. One of the primary benefits of disposable slings and repositioning sheets is that they reduce the risk of Healthcare Associated Infections or HAI’s.  Remember, when using launderable slings, they are often reused between multiple patients without properly being disinfected.  How does a nurse properly disinfect a fabric sling at the hospital instead of sending it to the laundry?  It’s not an easy task because fabric slings are porous and pathogens can hide in the nooks and crannies of the sling.  Fabric slings should go to the laundry so the concern about infection prevention can properly be addressed.  The laundry system whether inhouse our through an outside service provider generally takes 3-5 days to return specialty items, in this case slings, back to the hospital for distribution.  This turn around time can be a major contributor to staff injuries if slings are not available.  On the other hand, the disposable slings are easily ordered, pulled from the shelf, and are only used by one patient. Therefore, in the long run, single patient use slings and repositioning slings are safer from an infection prevention and injury prevention perspective.

The Benefits of Single Patient Use Slings and Repositioning Sheets

SPH Medical's Repositioning Sheets improve patient care and reduce risk of injury. Patients in the ICU or critical care units within a hospital can benefit from using disposable repositioning sheets. These sheets are designed for single-patient use and help make the formerly manual process of repositioning and turning more comfortable and efficient. Some of the benefits of using a disposable repositioning sheet include the following:

  • Increased Patient Comfort

    Disposable repositioning sheets can help increase patients’ comfort during in bed repositioning and turning as well as transfers from bed to gurney or bed to CT table.

  • Improved efficiency

    Using a disposable repositioning sheet improves the efficiency of medical procedures. By using mechanical assistance like an overhead lift during repositioning tasks nurses can easily boost a patient alone or with a second nurse where in the past they would need at least two to four nurses to perform the same task.

  • Reduced Risk of Infection

    One of the main benefits of using a disposable sheet or disposable sling is that it reduces the risk of cross-contamination since each patient is assigned their own sheet or sling.  Some laundry systems don’t use the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens and this can lead to Healthcare Associated Infections.

  • Protects Nurses from Injuries

    The predictable high frequency of lifting and transferring patients has been well documented to be dangerous to the nurse. Therefore, appropriate lifting equipment is absolutely essential to prevent a nursing injury. A single-patient use sling’s design allows ease-use by the nurse, preventing overexertion, strains and sprains, and career ending back injuries,

  • Easy to Order and Keep Inventory

    Lastly, ordering and managing single-patient use sling stock is simple. You can easily track and record what’s available within the facility. This contrasts with launderable slings, which need to be properly cleaned and disinfected. Unfortunately these expensive slings have been known to get lost in the laundry.

SPH Medical Disposable Sheets

SPH Medical prioritizes patient care, and that’s why they have a wide range of disposable repositioning sheets. Using disposable repositioning sheets is the new trend in hospitals and healthcare centers. They offer many cost effective, safe solutions for lifting, moving, and transferring patients. Most importantly, they reduce the risk of cross-infection and injuries while improving patient care.

The sheets available here are suitable for all mobile and overhead lifts. They come in various sizes and styles to meet every patient’s needs and care settings. Repositioning sheets from SPH Medical are made of a breathable material, so they can remain under the patient for an extended period of time and are considered just as safe as hospital bed linen. Visit the official SPH medical website to check the complete portfolio of single patient use slings and single patient use air transfer and positioning mattresses.

Early Patient Mobility and the SPH Medical RoWalker
Categoriesearly mobility

Advancements in Early Mobility

by sphmedicaladmin

As the years go by, more and more patient care programs and trends are making their way into the mainstream. One area that has received a plethora of focus in recent years is the advancements in early mobility benefits for those in the ICU and critical care units. If your hospital doesn’t currently have a formal early patient mobility program, it’s time to consider implementing one.

The Biggest Problems With Bedridden Patients

Any nurse that has ever spent time on the floor can tell you that bedridden patients experience numerous health issues beyond their current diagnosis. A big one is muscle deconditioning or weakness that occurs when the muscles aren’t adequately used. Some other notable issues patients experience include delirium and depression.

Fighting These Problems With Early Mobilization

A major solution that has helped to greatly reduce and even eliminate some of these unhealthy conditions in patients is the implementation of early mobilization. Both patients in the ICUs and critical care units have been noted to enhance all of the following:

  • Functional Recovery
  • Walking Distance
  • Reduced Length of Stay
  • Respiratory Function
  • Cardiac Health
  • Muscular Function

While the benefits of early mobilization can have any nurse or PT excited about being able to help their patients even more, implementing this type of program at your hospital requires some planning and clinical input. Not only do you need to convince staff members and patients alike that early mobilization is the key to their best and fastest recovery, but you need to have the right equipment to get the job done.

The SPH Medical RoWalker Platform Walker Providing Advancements in Early Mobility

This acute care ambulation walker is the product of more than ten years worth of collaboration with physical therapists, interdisciplinary nurses, cardiothoracic surgeons, and respiratory therapists. It’s ergonomically designed and provides patients with optimal physical security so that they’re more confident when getting out of bed for the first time. In many cases patients are afraid to get out of bed and stand for the first time. They don’t trust their own legs to support them and also don’t trust the nurse or therapist to prevent them from falling.

Optimal Patient Security

The RoWalker provides an optimal level of patient security with adjustable hand grips, optional support belt, and other unique features. Now you can support early patient mobility with fewer staff members without compromising patient safety. The RoWalker will be sure to fit perfectly into your safe patient handling program, and you’ll be confident knowing that your patients can ambulate with a proven device that has been used in many evidence based mobility programs across the country.

This helpful device utilizes an optional ambulation belt that can be used to assist a low-functioning during walking for fall prevention. This is a great add on to a device that already has everything. With adjustable height levels, the RoWalker can support patients of all heights and sizes. It features two convenient hand grips complemented by padded arm rests to offer optimal patient support.

Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, there are seat flaps that flip up and can also be rotated outwards 180 degrees so that the RoWalker can be brought right up to the bedside so that patients can feel more comfortable standing and taking their first steps.

The seat flaps go a long way in preventing unwanted falls and providing opportunities for rest for both the patient and your staff members alike. Now with the built in seat flaps you don’t have to drag a wheelchair behind the patient during ambulation and fewer staff are required when ambulating ICU patients.

The SPH Medical RoWalker supports IV and Oxygen

Designed With Patient Needs in Mind

The SPH Medical RoWalker is designed with various components that can easily house patient necessities to ensure that they’re under optimal care throughout their mobilization program. The RoWaker has an integrated IV pole, a convenient oxygen tank holder, and a large front basket that can support a portable ventilator or cardiac monitor. You’ll find adequate room for all of the assistive devices that your patients need.

Advancements in early mobility are becoming more and more prominent as its many benefits for the body continually become cited by medical facilities and practitioners. The SPH Medical RoWalker can be the perfect assistive device to help patients in your ICU and critical care units get up and move sooner. With so much evidence supporting the use of early patient mobilization in hospitals, you simply can’t afford not to integrate this program into your facility.

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.

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