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Mobilize Patients Early with SPH Medical's RoWalker
Categoriesearly mobility

Early Patient Mobility Trends

by sphmedicaladmin

In the past, hospital personnel followed safe patient handling guidelines that primarily focused on the safe movement and transfer of patients with staff assistance from surface to surface or from bed to chair for example. Most safe patient handling programs that were implemented really focused on staff injury prevention. And as we all know today the majority of staff injuries come from repositioning patients up in bed and lateral transfers between bed and gurney or bed to table. In the past, keeping a patient in bed just seemed to make sense as patients getting out by themselves or when manually handled by staff were often at risk of falling. Today however, early patient mobility is now a trending practice across the nation. Professional opinions about this topic have changed drastically in recent years as more doctors, nurses and physical therapists have taken an approach that’s evidence based rather than stuck on traditional practices and norms.

Consider the following evidence and ways early patient mobility benefits both patients and staff:

  • Muscle Atrophy or Deconditioning Isn’t Allowed to Set In

    Many immobilized patients quickly lose muscle mass, strength and tone. The old saying “If you don’t use it, you lose it” definitely applies to recovering patients. Certain biological processes kick in during immobilization that reduce muscle mass. Movement can help prevent and reverse these processes. Patients who have difficulty with standing and walking can benefit from care out of bed that involves any type of movement. They don’t need to rely on physical help from hospital personnel alone. Several types of assistive tools exist, such as the SPH Medical RoWalker, that can help with this type of safe patient handling program to make it easier for patients to move around and stop muscle wasting as quickly as possible.

  • Prevention of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Events

    As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes on its website, immobilized patients are at high risk of experiencing blood clots that can lead to heart and lung problems and strokes. Movement reduces clots by improving circulation. Increased blood flow can improve oxygen levels and respiration. Patients who have suffered a critical illness might also need an oxygen tank to breath when walking. Many assistive tools like the SPH Medical RoWalker have built-in features that make it easier for patients with cardiovascular, respiratory and critical needs to ambulate, such as a telescoping IV pole, a basket that can carry a cardiac monitor or small ventilator, an oxygen tank holder, hand grips and a built-in seat for breaks.

  • Reduction of Hospital and Overall Medical Bills

    Hospitals that implement early patient mobility can actually help patients reduce their medical debt burden. It might seem counterintuitive for any type of business to find ways to stop billing customers, but many patients who can’t pay their immediate medical bills are unable to pay them at all as time passes. Growing medical debt then often forces them to put off preventative care, which adversely impacts hospitals when those same patients seek ER care for emergencies they could have prevented in prior weeks, months and years. Additionally, early mobility during an inpatient stay can prevent costly followup ER visits by reducing the risk of related muscular and cardiovascular events. For example, it can reduce the number and length of physical therapy appointments and in-home exercises required for a full recovery, which decreases the patient’s medical debt burden from recovery treatment and the risk of more debt from an emergency atrophy-related muscle strain.

  • Additional Hospital and Staff Benefits

    The adoption of early mobility in an ICU and other hospital settings can open up beds faster. If patients are capable of getting up and moving around, they’re not going to need to remain in the ICU for long. Movement can even help staff determine if the patient is strong enough to leave the ICU and breathe without assistance. A safe handling plan that includes assistive and supportive equipment means that staff members won’t have to rush around or experience accidents to retrieve items they need while helping patients. If they’re using a sturdy, durable walking system like the SPH Medical RoWalker, they also won’t need to catch falling patients by hand. They can use the equipment to support the patient’s weight. Lastly, early mobility can help improve patient sleep and mental health, which can reduce ER surges and dangers to staff related to a growing national mental health crisis.

Single Patient Use Breathable Sheet for Repositioning
CategoriesPatient Handling

SPH Medical Repositioning Sheet Prevents Nursing Injury

by sphmedicaladmin

Nurses are at risk for musculoskeletal injuries each and every day they go to work. This is especially true when it comes to tasks such as repositioning patients in bed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses and nursing assistants are at the number one risk profession for a musculoskeletal injury. Nurses are at risk for injuries when they manually move patients to reposition them. This can include strains, sprains, and back injuries. The SPH Medical Breathable Repositioning Sheet helps to reduce the risk of pressure ulcers and nursing injuries by eliminating the need for manual in bed repositioning of patients.

The American Nurses Association has created standards for Safe Patient Handling, which recommends that nurses turn and reposition patients every two hours. It has been reported that nurses lift more than a ton of weight during an 8-12 hour shift. This is why it is so important for nurses to have access to safe patient handling equipment, such as the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet.

The universal repositioning sheet from SPH Medical attaches to overhead patient lifts or mobile lifts and supports up to 1000 lbs. It is compatible with all hook and loop style sling bars on the patient lifts. This means that nurses can easily and safely lift and turn patients using the breathable repositioning sheet. The sheet is made of breathable fabric that allows air to circulate around the patient’s skin.

Pressure ulcers are a common and costly problem in hospitals. They often occur when patients are left in the same position for too long, leading to pressure on their skin. This increased pressure over time can cause the skin to break down, eventually forming a pressure ulcer. When it comes to preventing and healing pressure ulcers, nurses have a critical role to play. While pressure ulcers can occur in any patient population, they are especially common in patients who are bedridden or who have limited mobility. This is why it is important for nurses to routinely boost and turn patients every two hours. However, this can be difficult to do in a busy hospital setting where at least two nurses are needed for these tasks. Heavier patients often require four nurses to boost or turn them. That’s where the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet comes in.
Disposable Breathable Sheet for Repositioning
This sheet is designed to help nurses quickly and easily turn patients reducing risk of injury by eliminating the manual lifting, pushing and pulling. This sheet attaches to an overhead lift or mobile lift, allowing nurses to easily reposition, turn, or transfer patients without having to manually lift them.

The repositioning sheet is made of a lightweight, breathable fabric that allows moisture and air to pass through, which helps to prevent pressure ulcers from forming. The SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet is designed so that it can stay under patients during their entire length of stay. We know that when Safe Patient Handling solutions are immediately accessible to nurses they will use them and with the high frequency of in bed repositioning tasks performed by nurses the sheet becomes part of their daily patient care routine.

The Breathable Repositioning Sheet is an affordable way to help prevent pressure ulcers and nursing injuries. It is a safe and easy way to improve patient care and protect nurses from potential injuries. Nurses and hospitals should consider purchasing and implementing the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet in their facility. It is an essential piece of equipment that can help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries for nurses. It is a cost-effective solution that can help improve the safety of nurses and reduce the risk of pressure ulcers for patients.

Purchasing and implementing the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet in their facility can help keep nurses safe and prevent injuries. Not only does this sheet help to protect nurses backs, but it also makes the task of turning and repositioning patients easier and more efficient. Hospitals can improve patient care outcomes and increase nursing satisfaction by using the breathable repositioning sheet.

Contact SPH Medical today to get a sample improve safety at your facility.

Mobilize patients early with the SPH Medical Rowalker
CategoriesPatient Handling

Early Patient Mobility and Why Movement Matters

by sphmedicaladmin

For those unfamiliar with Dale M. Needham, M.D., Ph.D., he served as the lead researcher in a study published by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In that study, he concluded that early patient mobility significantly improves patient outcomes by reducing their risk of suffering from muscle weakness and mental illnesses. It, however, does not end there. Another study from the National Institutes of Health mirrors Dr. Needham’s findings and further shows that early patient mobility can lower a patient’s chances of developing pressure ulcers, blood clots, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

SPH Medical RoWalker for Safe Patient Mobility

Health Problems That Leave Some Hospital Patients Bedridden

Getting out of bed is not easy for some patients, and this is because some of them have medical conditions that affect their mobility. All hospitals are well aware of this. And that awareness has motivated many of them to institute a safe patient handling program to help patients escape the prison that is their hospital bed when needed. Before detailing what such a program entails, let’s take a moment to discuss some of the many medical conditions that can affect a patient’s mobility to the extent that they become bedridden. According to a study published by Cedars-Sinai, one of the largest nonprofit academic medical centers in the U.S, the following conditions can cause severe muscle weakness and make it very difficult for patients to get out of bed on their own:

  • Neuromuscular diseases that cause weakness in the skeletal muscles
  • Certain infections
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • How Early Patient Mobility Improves Physical and Mental Health

To help patients avoid the additional health problems that can arise from being confined to a bed for too long, the medical teams in most hospitals use a safe patient handling program to help ambulate patients. The benefits of these programs are many. In addition to minimizing a patient’s chances of developing pressure ulcers, blood clots, pneumonia, and UTIs, not to mention making it easier for them to go from one department to another, they also contribute to the following:

  • Improved heart health and overall cardiovascular function
  • Increased muscle mass and a much stronger immune system
  • Improved respiratory function

Early Patient Mobility Published Studies

Along with improved physical health, escaping the confines of one’s hospital bed from time to time also keeps mental health problems at bay, according to several evidence based studies. One of those studies comes from the National Institutes of Health. In that study, researchers found that ambulating patients via safe patient handling programs significantly lowers their chances of suffering from delirium, depression, and other mental health problems.

Why Hospitals Across the Country Are Praising the SPH Medical RoWalker

No patient handling program would be complete without the SPH Medical RoWalker, say hospital medical teams who use them to lift, reposition, transfer, and otherwise ambulate patients. And there is a good reason why they feel this way. Along with mobilizing patients, the SPH Medical Rowalker can carry a portable ventilator, an oxygen tank, IV pole, cardiac monitor, and many other items that long-term hospital patients need the most. To learn more about how these devices improve patient mobility and overall health, consider contacting SPH Medical today.

Thoracentesis and other procedures are safer for patients and staff when using the EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

Risk Reduction During Thoracentesis

by sphmedicaladmin

When undergoing medical procedures, the safety of patients and medical staff alike is of utmost importance. This is especially true when a patient is at increased risk due to surgical intervention or other complex procedures that could lead to severe injuries or additional health complications. As such, risk reduction during Thoracentesis must be employed to safeguard all parties involved. Case in point, an epidural positioning device, or EPD, is utilized for those undergoing thoracentesis procedures.

The Importance of an EPD and How It Works

The use of an epidural positioner, which is more commonly known as an epidural chair, has become the standard of care when it comes to securely positioning of individuals in peri-operative areas preparing for surgery and spinal blocks or in diagnostic imaging areas where ultrasound technicians are preparing patients for Thoracentesis. Moreover, this tool also helps reduce the risk of nursing injury and potential harm to other caregivers. Originally developed more than 20 years ago for obstetrics, pre-op, and spinal procedures, its use allows for the proper positioning of patients during a spinal block, epidural placements, land a myriad of medical procedures. Moreover, it touts many benefits for users and caregivers alike.

Epidural positioners assist with lumbar, thoracic, and cervical flexion while ensuring proper alignment and bolstering stability. There are two types of EPDs, one manual or non-powered, and one electric. The manual version features a spring-loaded adjustment control that operates the midsection and footrest portions. Meanwhile, the electronic version, or e-EPD, operates via motorized control of the midsection and footrest. EPDs are commonly found in hospitals, pain management clinics, surgical suites as well as labor and delivery rooms. Moreover, they are an ideal support device for thoracentesis, obese, and OB/GYN patients.

Understanding the Thoracentesis Process And Risk Reduction During Thoracentesis

During this procedure, technical staff are charged with positioning the patient in a comfortable upright position to enable the Doctor to extract fluid from the pleural cavity, which is situated between the lungs. This is accomplished via the insertion of a small needle through the chest wall and into the plural cavity to drain the fluid and is typically performed by a Doctor or Pulmonologist. The EPD device has an adjustable footplate, chest support, armrests, and a headrest for risk reduction during Thoracentesis and to ensure the proper positioning as well as comfortable placement of the user. These features work together to not only provide support and comfort, but the device significantly bolsters patient safety, improves patient comfort, and minimizes the risk of patient falls while significantly safety for the medical staff during Thoracentesis, epidurals, spinal blocks or other spinal procedures.

In summary, an epidural chair is a useful tool that provides comfort and stability for individuals undergoing various medical procedures, such as spinal blocks, epidurals, Thora’s, and other spinal issues that require flexed spine positioning for ideal needle placement. More importantly, an EPD facilitates a combination of safe patient handling, optimal positioning, minimizes the risk of complications, and reduces the likelihood of injury to patients as well as caregivers alike.

Repositioning Sheet reduces risk of injury
Categoriesair transfer systems

Patient Repositioning Causes Nursing Injury

by sphmedicaladmin

Nurses face a high risk of sustaining a patient repositioning injury when working in any department hospital setting, even when practicing even the most common patient handling tasks. The two most common tasks where injuries take place are when boosting a patient up in bed or undertaking a lateral transfer.  Many of the in bed patient care tasks that nurses perform require lifting, pushing, pulling, and holding that can cause injury.  This article will discuss the two most effective evidence based solutions to address repositioning in bed and lateral transfers.

The Risk of Performing a Lateral Transfer

Lateral transfers are predictable and the cause of many injuries to nursing staff, including back injuries, sprains, strains, or tears. These repetitive tasks put nurses at a higher risk for injury and using the old-fashioned draw sheet or plastic slider board don’t do much to make the situation safer.  When using the older low tech solutions like a draw sheet or slider board, friction still exists and nurses have to use excessive force to push, pull, and transfer patients.

Boosting up in Bed is a Nursing Nightmare

Boosting a patient happens countless times a day in every nursing unit in the country. But, this traditionally manual bed-sheet task causes many injuries due to the high rate of repetition, increase in morbid obesity, awkward body posture, friction and other safety factors.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, patient handling injuries among nurses cost almost 1 billion dollars annually, with over 200,000 reported injuries every year. Of course, this isn’t news to nurses. As many as 20% of nursing employees leave direct care positions because of the associated risks.

Reduce Your Risk of Injury

With the use of medical technology, like the breathable repositioning sheet and SPH Medical’s air transfer system, nurses can reduce the amount of staff needed for patient-handling tasks from as many as eight to one or two individuals.

The breathable repositioning sheet is a major step forward in safety for patients and nurses alike.  Designed out of a breathable material the sheet can stay under patients for extended periods of time allowing nursing staff to boost, turn, and transfer patients using an overhead or mobile lift system.  Unlike other repositioning sheets out on the market the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet does not have straps going across the underside of the sheet.  This innovative design means less pressure on patients’ skin during their length of stay.  Nurses across the country rely on the SPH Medical breathable repositioning sheet for all day Safe Patient Handling and care.

The SPH Medical Air Transfer System is a single patient use Air Transfer Mattress that is compatible with most manufacturer’s air supplies or blowers.  The air supply inflates the mattress and a thin cushion of air underneath an inflatable mattress, which helps to reduce friction. It is recommended by AORN for virtually all adult patients, even post-surgery.

Air Powered Transfer and Positioning System

Air-assisted transfer systems and breathable repositioning sheets are the gold standard in hospitals now because they directly addresses the patient repositioning tasks that cause hundreds of thousands of nurses to hurt themselves every year. A clinical evaluation from the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses journal found that nurses rated air-assisted systems higher than other methods.

Accessible and Easy to ManageSingle Patient Use Air Transfer Mattress

Single patient use transfer mats keep the unit, the nurse, and the patients more comfortable and safer. Because they are disposed of after patient use, it is easy to track the inventory and there is no need to worry about the laundry system or other procedures that might keep transfer units from being available. The kits can also be kept on-unit so they can easily be used throughout the day.

It’s Better for the Patient, Too

Since the mattress is a single patient use item, the mattress is disposed of which reduces the risk of cross-contamination between patients and the risk of possible infections. It’s safer because they are being transferred or boosting up in bed more gently and staff are using less physical effort.

SPH Medical wants to make nurses’ lives easier by focusing on reducing the risk of nursing injury. A nurse should be able to go home and enjoy her personal time without pain or injury-related medical issues.

CategoriesPatient Handling

Improve Safety During Spinal Blocks

by sphmedicaladmin

According to MedlinePlus, a trusted online resource for up-to-date information related to diseases and a host of wellness issues, a spinal block is commonly prescribed to patients undergoing genital, urinary tract, or other lower body medical procedures. They are also prescribed to pregnant women, in addition to epidural anesthesia, before they are due to give birth in a hospital’s labor and delivery unit. Also known as spinal anesthesia, a spinal block is a type of neuraxial regional anesthesia that involves injecting a local anesthetic or opioid directly into the subarachnoid space to block pain signals that would otherwise travel to the brain. Spinal blocks do a terrific job of keeping pain at bay so that patients can get through a needed medical procedure. But they can sometimes pose a danger to patients and medical teams alike. Improving safety during spinal blocks can be done with an epidural chair or epidural positioning device.

Safety During Spinal Blocks: The Dangers They Pose to Patients and Medical Teams Alike

Studies show that spinal blocks can increase a patient’s chances of experiencing low blood pressure, meningitis or abscess, hematomas, difficulty urinating, seizures, and headaches. As far as medical teams are concerned, many suffer musculoskeletal injuries due to lifting, repositioning, or catching falling patients that have received spinal blocks. Most of these injuries involve back pain and back strain that is so severe that many say they can’t work for a few days following their injury. To further put this into perspective, in 2016, the 8,730 days-away-from-work cases filed by hospitals involved medical teams that suffered musculoskeletal injuries while tending to patients in a hospital’s surgery department or labor and delivery unit. An epidural positioning device (EPD), such as an epidural chair, could have helped medical teams in these hospitals avoid many of these injuries, as well as improve safety during spinal blocks and epidurals.

How an Epidural Chair Can Help Improve Hospital Safety

Manually positioning or moving patients from one location to another is the leading cause of injuries among nurses, operating room technicians, and anesthesiologists involved in treating the roughly 324,000 patients who receive spinal blocks each year. These injuries have motivated many hospitals to invest heavily in medical assistive devices to improve patient handling and lower the rate of injuries among hospital workers. One such device is the epidural chair. Also known as an epidural positioning device or an EPD, epidural chairs support the arms, head, chest, and feet of patients receiving spinal blocks. The support they provide minimizes the risk of falls and makes it much easier to transport patients from one location to another as needed for their medical treatments. Studies show that hospitals that use epidural chairs file fewer day-away-from-work cases than those that do not.

Conclusion

Whether we are discussing safety in a hospital’s surgery department or its labor and delivery unit, EPDs should be part of that discussion. And this is because they make epidural pain relief via spinal blocks easier and markedly safer for everyone involved.

SPH Medical EPD Adjust the chest support cushion
CategoriesPatient Handling

Avoid Manual Patient Handling During Spinal Blocks

by sphmedicaladmin

Epidurals are given to patients across many departments within the hospital setting. Most people know that women often receive them during labor, but there are many other times a patient can benefit from a spinal block, including: epidural pain relief, an alternative to general anesthesia, and to combat chronic pain. Yet, as common as the practice is, many healthcare workers in a labor and delivery unit or a surgery department who perform manual patient handling are at risk for injury. Oftentimes, patients who are in need of an epidural are in pain, nervous, nauseous, or confused. Nurses have reported even being physically attacked or bitten by patients during an epidural.

In this state, it is hard to manually control positioning and account for patient movement. They might not understand the directions properly or be able to hold the position, which means that several healthcare workers have to use their entire body weight to keep the patient in place.

In addition to patient concerns, the tables or beds where the procedure is performed are also not ideal for patient or healthcare safety, such as bed side tables that don’t lock, stacks of pillows, chairs with wheels. All of these issues accumulate for risky manual patient handling for the patient and their nurses or anesthesia technician.

Improving Healthcare Safety with an Epidural Positioning Device

An EPD or epidural positioning device is designed to promote the best possible optimal spinal flexion in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines for proper needle insertion. It also makes the procedure a lot safer then when it’s just performed with manual patient handling.

Even before considering the risks of performing a spinal block without an epidural chair, nurses are one of the most at-risk professionals in any industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses are injured at a rate of 46% compared to 34% elsewhere.

Manual Patient Handling and The Need for The Epidural Chair

The epidural chair directly minimizes this risk of injury for any labor and delivery unit or surgery department because it positions and holds patients automatically without the need for any special maneuvering or exertion on the healthcare provider. According to the Center for Disease Control, there is evidence-based research showing that replacing manual patient handling can significantly reduce the rate of nursing injury.

Patients see the benefit of the EPD as well. An article in the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, patient comfort was significantly higher using an epidural chair, with over 90% of patients preferring the epidural positioning device to the historic manual positioning and holding. The EPD is a win-win scenario for patients and healthcare workers trying to deliver epidural pain relief because it is more comfortable, easy to use, and safer. For more information on epidural positioning devices contact us at SPHMedical.

CategoriesPatient Handling

Benefits of Early Patient Mobility

by sphmedicaladmin

According to a study published by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, early patient mobility significantly improves patient outcomes. In the study, Dale M. Needham, M.D., Ph.D., the university’s lead researcher, notes that patients who spend less time in bed and start rehabilitation sooner are less likely to suffer from muscle weakness, physical impairments, or mental illness than those who do not. Another study published by the National Institutes of Health revealed that patients who spend less time in their hospital beds are also less likely to suffer from the following:

  • Pressure ulcers (bedsores)
  • Blood clots
  • Pneumonia
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

While we could easily say that these health problems can be avoided by not spending less time in bed, we must also acknowledge that getting out of one’s bed and engaging in physical activity doesn’t come easy for some hospital patients.

Why Some Hospital Patients Are Bedridden

All hospitals are acutely aware of the issues that stem from allowing patients to stay in bed too long. But not all of them have a safe patient handling program that makes it easy for patients with neurological conditions, infections, and vitamin deficiencies, all of which can cause muscle weakness, to get out of bed when they want to or even have to for medical reasons. The same can be said of many other health problems as well.

What Hospitals Are Doing to Promote Early Patient Mobility

To promote early patient mobility and, as a byproduct of doing so, minimize the risk of many health problems correlated with being bedridden for too long, a lot of hospitals employ safe patient handling programs to ambulate patients.  These programs consist of trained medical teams and assistive mobility devices that help get patients moving.  And this could mean lifting, repositioning, or transferring them from one department to another.  Likewise, it could mean getting them out of bed to exercise so they can avoid many of the health problems mentioned earlier in this article.  And it does not end there; several evidence based studies show the combination of highly trained medical teams and assistive mobility devices can also offer the following benefits to long-term hospital patients:

  • Improved cardiac function
  • Improved muscle mass
  • Improved respiratory function
  • Minimizing the risk of delirium commonly associated with being bedridden

Why Many Hospitals Are Choosing the SPH Medical Rowalker

Safe Patient Mobility with SPH Medical RoWalker

There are many devices that hospitals can use to ambulate patients, but many are choosing to go with the SPH Medical Rowalker.  Along with getting patients up and moving, these devices can carry just about everything they might need while in a hospital.  Also referred to as an ambulation device or a platform walker, the SPH Medical Rowalker is capable of carrying the following:

  • An oxygen tank
  • An IV pole
  • A cardiac monitor
  • A portable ventilator

Early Patient Mobility, The Bottom Line

Because they help patients stand, walk, and feel a little more independent, it is easy to see why many hospitals have made the Rowalker by SPH Medical their ambulation device of choice. Of course, the ability of these devices to lower a patient’s chances of developing blood clots, UTIs, pneumonia, and much more is just icing on the proverbial cake. To learn more about the Rowalker by SPH Medical, consider speaking with one of our associates today.

Safety During Thoracentesis using the EPD
CategoriesPatient Handling

Patient and Staff Safety Improved During Thoracentesis

by sphmedicaladmin

What Is Thoracentesis?

A doctor who performs thoracentesis uses a syringe or needle-catheter device to remove excess fluid surrounding the lungs. Congestive heart failure and pneumonia are among the conditions that can cause fluid to accumulate in the pleural space, causing pain and shortness of breath. After a sonographer locates the best insertion point for the needle, a doctor drains fluid to relieve pressure between the pleural membranes and the chest wall. Unfortunately, medical professionals can risk injury when they position, turn, or hold the patient steady during the procedure. This puts the staff an patient at risk of injury during the procedure. Healthcare Works and nursing staff are calling for safety improved during Thoracentesis.

During medical procedures that expose the back or spine, it’s not unusual for a patient to sit on a bed, chair, or stool while resting their head and arms on a table. Sometimes the patient will lean forward on pillows that are comfortable but unsteady. Furniture that lacks locking mechanisms can slide or tip over, causing the patient or their handler to collide with equipment, slip, or fall. Nursing staff can suffer back injuries or musculoskeletal disorders from the physical strain of manually handling patients day-to-day.

How the Epidural Positioning Device Benefits Hospital Staff and Patients

Over the past ten years, hospitals have reduced the potential for nursing injury and accidents by introducing evidence-based safe patient handling programs, guidelines, and devices. These measures decrease the number of situations that require staff to lift, push, pull, or perform prolonged static holds on any patient. Many states also require hospitals to follow patient handling laws. Special equipment, like the epidural positioning device (EPD), has been key to reducing injury and liability.

The EPD, also called an epidural positioner or epidural chair, was created to promote ideal spinal flexion and hold patients steady during a spinal block. The EPD positions patients properly, comfortably, and securely during thoracic, cervical, and lumbar procedures. The device is mounted on an LDS base, and the upper part can be attached to an operating table with universal clamps. The epidural positioner accommodates a variety of body types and sizes. Its foot support, arm rests, chest support, face rest cushion, and height are adjustable.

Safety Improved During Thoracentesis with the EPD

Although the EPD is sometimes called an epidural chair, the patient actually sits on a hospital bed while the device is in use. A staff member can roll the device over to face the patient and lock the EPD in position with ease. Then the patient can lean forward slightly while resting their face, arms, chest, and feet on their respective supports. Once the patient is properly positioned, doctors and clinicians are free to perform thoracentesis without strain or worry. EPDs save time and labor costs while making medical procedures easier and more comfortable. The support they provide is imperative so that we can start seeing patient and staff safety improved during thoracentesis.

SPH Medical SPU Air Transfer Mattress
CategoriesPatient Handling

Solving the Injury Puzzle, Injuries to Healthcare Workers

by sphmedicaladmin

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many injuries to healthcare workers are from overexerting themselves when manually lifting, transferring, or repositioning patients in hospitals. And for many of those hospital workers, overexertion leads to musculoskeletal injuries. This began the search for solving the injury puzzle. In reaching this conclusion, the CDC pulled data from a study published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In that 2014 study, researchers revealed the overexertion rate among hospital workers was around 68 per 10,000 full-time employees.

Repositioning to Injuries to Healthcare Workers: Why They Happen and What Hospitals Are Doing to Prevent Them

Musculoskeletal injuries happen when hospital workers lift or otherwise reposition patients without using assistive equipment, and they often result in severe back pain or back strain. Although patient repositioning is to blame for many of them, most musculoskeletal injuries come from lateral transfer maneuvers. For those not aware, lateral transfers are the most dangerous patient-handling tasks performed in hospitals today, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

When it comes to lateral transfers, poor patient-handling ergonomics and pushing, pulling or lifting patients without the aid of assistive equipment explain why many healthcare workers in U.S. hospitals suffer injuries every year. For reference, a study published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that work-related musculoskeletal injuries were around 46 cases per 10,000 registered nurses in 2016; and a large percentage of those made up the over 8,730 days-away-from-work cases filed that year. Because patient transfers and repositioning, sometimes referred to as “boosting up in bed,” cases involving nurses and other hospital workers have been trending for some time now, many hospitals are investing in high-tech equipment to help keep them safe.

How Air Transfer Systems Improve Efficiency and Keep Hospital Workers Safe

Available data shows many hospitals previously performed lateral transfers by pulling patients from their beds and onto a gurney via a draw sheet or sliding board. This transfer method is physically taxing and dangerous for everyone involved. Mindful of this, many hospitals today are abandoning the process and are opting to use air transfer systems instead. These systems are helping to lower the number of injuries to healthcare works are involving patient transfers that hospitals file each year, and they make the “boosting up in bed” ritual that nurses perform on patients a bit easier. One of the air transfer systems that many hospitals use today is the SPH Medical Air Transfer System and the SPH Medical single-patient-use Air Transfer Mat.

What Everyone Should Know About Single-Patient-Use Transfer Mats

Transporting patients to the ICU, ER, surgery, imaging, or any other department in a hospital is much easier with single-patient-use transfer mats. These inflatable mats go underneath the patient, and once filled with air, they allow healthcare workers to “float” patients from one surface to another. Single-patient-use transfer mats can accommodate nearly any body weight or body type, and they require only minimal hands-on involvement which intern reduces risk of injuries to healthcare workers. And because they are single-use devices, they also minimize any potential spread of infections throughout the hospital. Lastly, since they are inflatable, single-patient use transfer mats can be deployed quickly if an emergency transfer becomes necessary. The SPH Medical Single Patient Use Air Mattress is compatible with most air supplies already in hospitals today.

Single Patient Use Air Transfer Mat

Bottom Line

In summary, air transfer systems, including single-patient-use transfer mats, can improve efficiency and safety in hospitals, both for patients and healthcare workers.

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