lateral transfer systems Archives

Patient Positioning and Nursing Injuries

by sphmedicaladmin May 7, 2021May 10, 2021

How Patient Positioning and Lateral Transfers Increase Risk of Injury to our Nurses

Patient positioning in a hospital, surgery center, or medical clinic occurs twenty four hours a day and every day. Patients are constantly sliding down in bed and therefore need to be boosted back up, turned, bathed, and transferred. In this article we’re going to review one of the most common and predictable patient positioning tasks, a lateral transfer. Lateral transfers occur in many inpatient hospital units throughout the day. Whether patients are headed into surgery or to the imaging center, numerous departments oversee lateral transfers. In layman’s terms, a lateral transfer consists of transferring a patient from one surface to another. Unfortunately, the unpredictability of this procedure leaves a lot of room for error. As a result, both medical professionals and patients become susceptible to injuries. Specifically, hospital staff are at risk of MSDO’s due to the high frequency of this task and the increasing weight of patients. Lateral transfers have become so dangerous that more constructive alternatives are being developed.

In most cases, nurses perform lateral transfers by using the sheet that’s underneath the patient. If there aren’t enough hands on deck, a plastic board can help offset insufficient manpower. However, this method is far from flawless, and it doesn’t reduce enough friction to prevent a nursing injury or repositioning injury from occurring. Strains and sprains are commonplace but more serious career ending back injuries are occurring. Since a successful lateral transfer hinges entirely on physical effort and effective communication, these practices have been deemed high risk.

In fact, these techniques are so ineffective that medical professionals are over 30 percent more likely to experience musculoskeletal pain. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses are the number one at risk profession for a back injury with an average of 7 lost work days per injury. Manual Patient Handling injuries are the primary culprits for this debilitating condition. While occupational injuries aren’t ideal for workers, they can be especially detrimental to hospitals. Not only do injuries leave their personnel indisposed, but these mishaps can also prove costly, requiring hospitals to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover injury costs, and that’s just the direct cost of these injuries. d

In the hopes of addressing this ongoing issue, the Bureau of Labor Statistics held a study on safe patient handling programs. Their research showed that hospitals with proper lateral transfer procedures were 73 percent less likely to put their nurses or patients at risk. With this compelling evidence, the House made the noble decision to draft the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act in 2015. At its core, this bill seeks to protect nurses from musculoskeletal disorders by requiring hospitals to reinforce their mobility, injury prevention, and patient handling standards.

The Future Of Safe Lateral Transfers

To combat the number of repositioning injuries, companies started introducing air-assisted transfer systems. AirPal is touted as the brains behind this invention and is renowned for being the first to design this revolutionary technology. With the efficacy of air-assisted transfer systems, companies like HoverMatt were eager to make this resource more accessible, leading to increased supply of the disposable or single patient use transfer mattress.

In essence, these systems reduce friction while offering unmatched safety for both the patient and the caregiver. As a result, they improve ergonomics, reduce risk of injury to nurses, and improve patient satisfaction and safety during lateral transfers. Thanks to the incredible ability to reduce friction for patients of all sizes, fewer people are needed to oversee lateral transfers. To ensure that patients and staff members remain out of harm’s way, SPH Medical implements air-assisted transfer systems in hospitals all across the country. SPH Medical is helping to make air assisted lateral transfer systems available to all hospitals at affordable prices.

Reasons To Choose Air-Assisted Transfer Equipment

Air-assisted transfer systems are highly sought-after for their ability to reduce handling injuries, but they offer more benefits than that. In addition to promoting safe practices, this cutting-edge equipment also instills comfort into the patient experience. In other words, patients aren’t as vulnerable to the unease and discomfort that accompanies traditional lateral transfers. With this modern equipment, transitioning a patient from point A to point B is seamless. This can improve hospital efficiencies and throughput further reducing costs.

According to patients, air-assisted transfer systems give the illusion and feeling that they’re floating from one surface to the next. What’s more, this streamlined process makes patients feel like less of an inconvenience. When caregivers have to exert tremendous energy to move a patient, it can trigger self-consciousness especially for the Bariatric patient. The dignity and care of Bariatric patients is an important consideration for hospitals across the country. In her book The Challenges of Caring for the Obese Patient, Sue Gallagher states, “Even the most compassionate caregiver may be reluctant to provide adequate care [to a patient with obesity] because of the threat of caregiver injury.” Fortunately, air-assisted equipment reduces self-doubt of caregivers and patients alike, bringing patients great peace of mind while allowing medical professionals to provide exceptional care.

References:

Gallagher S. The Challenges of Caring for the Obese Patient. Edgemont, PA: Matrix Medical Communications; 2005

Patient Handling

Lateral Transfer and Positioning Risk in Hospitals

by sphmedicaladmin March 29, 2021May 3, 2021

The Dangers Of Lateral Transfers

Simply put, a lateral transfer involves moving patients from surface to surface, including a bed or hospital cart. These transfers pose increased risks to both patients and caregivers. Lateral transfers are performed throughout the day in various departments, ranging from ICU to imaging. Due to the high frequency of lateral transfers and patient positioning the probability of a patient or nurse sustaining an injury increases exponentially if the appropriate Safe Patient Handling techniques are not employed. Patients that require comprehensive care often can’t move from point A to point B on their own, requiring the nursing staff to oversee their movements. When moving from one surface to another, matters become even more complicated.

In most cases, nurses use the sheet underneath the patient to transfer them. If there are limited staff members available, a plastic board is typically used as an alternative. While this device helps, it doesn’t reduce enough friction to combat the total force required. In essence, when handling a later transfer, nurses must rely on their strength and collaborative efforts to conduct a successful and safe transfer.

By leaving these affairs up to chance, caregivers and patients become more susceptible to a nursing injury or repositioning injury. With hospital injury rates on the rise, it’s imperative for staff members to have safer, easier, and more effective solutions at their disposal. Research shows that medical professionals are over 30 percent more likely to experience musculoskeletal pain due to handling injuries. While these injuries are painful, they can also be costly, setting hospitals back hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the scope of the claim.

According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitals that implement safe patient handling programs are 73 percent less likely to expose their staff to handling injuries. These favorable statistics prompted the arrival of the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act. This bill was introduced in 2015, and it states that the Department of Labor must establish new standards on mobility, patient handling, and injury prevention to safeguard medical professionals from musculoskeletal disorders.

The Introduction Of Air-Assisted Lateral Transfer Systems

In response to the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act, companies like HoverMatt have developed air-assisted transfer systems. AirPal was one of the first to develop this cutting-edge technology, and this invention has paved the way for secure repositioning procedures. These transfer systems are designed to reduce friction by providing additional support under a mattress.

They also serve to boost patients up in bed and eliminate the manpower required to move patients. Touted as the gold standard, air-assisted lateral transfer systems breathe ease and security into repositioning patients. To improve patient safety and lessen caregiver injuries, we at SPH Medical implement these systems into hospitals.

The Benefits Of Air-Assisted Transfer Equipment

In addition to promoting optimal safety, air-assisted transfer systems also enhance patient comfort. This equipment is gentle and seeks to improve a patient’s hospital stay or in-home care. Moreover, patients aren’t subjected to the discomfort that comes with lifting them. Thanks to these revolutionary systems, patients aren’t raised but rather smoothly pulled from one surface to another. In fact, many describe it as floating from one position to the next.

This modern technology is also advantageous to patients because it causes less of a disruption. Traditional lateral transfers demand many helping hands, which can make patients feel like a burden. Fortunately, air-assisted transfer systems are easier to handle, meaning fewer medical professionals are required. Not only does this streamline operations, but it also brings patients great peace of mind. Improve the patient experience, protect caregivers, and lessen workplace injuries when you opt for air-assisted lateral transfer systems.

Patient Handling

Solving Lateral Transfers and Positioning Risk in Hospitals

by sphmedicaladmin December 1, 2020January 13, 2021

What Puts The Nursing Staff At Risk?

While you may think of hospitals as one of the safest places to work, they’re actually one of the most dangerous workplaces for staff members. In fact, an OSHA study revealed that 7 workers for every 100 full-time employees at hospitals were injured on the job. Compare that rate to other private industries, and you’ll discover that hospitals are almost twice as dangerous. The nursing staff of a hospital undergoes a lot of physical exertion throughout the day. From ICUs to ORs, the nursing staff is responsible for lateral transfers of total care patients. It’s not anything out of the ordinary for a nurse to move a patient from a bed to a gurney, to a CT table, to an OR table, and back to a bed.

Most nurses perform this task dozens of times each shift. Throw in the constant need for patient repositioning, boosting, and turning and it becomes very clear why nurses are highly susceptible to repositioning injury and strains. These injuries are referred to as musculoskeletal disorders or MSD’s. These predictable, high frequency tasks are further complicated by heavier patients.

The Call For A Better Solution

There has been continued concern about the health of nursing staff around the country as OSHA and the Bureau Of Labor Statistics are notating negative health trends in healthcare workers. In fact, the Association of OR Nurses (AORN) has recently published a set of recommended safety guidelines and a tool kit that includes the use of air powered lateral transfer systems for each surgery patient. See the slides below from the AORN Toolkit. While the laws may not have caught up to the ongoing injury increases, the healthcare manufacturers have. They’ve developed air powered systems that are fast, comfortable, easy to use, and highly efficient for both caregivers and patients alike.

What Are Air Powered Systems?

Air powered systems are comprised of an inflatable pad, easy-to-use air supply,

power cord, and a hose. The patient is placed on the air powered lateral transfer system. The pump is inserted into the pad. As the pump quickly runs to fill up the pad, it sounds similar to a vacuum cleaner. Once the mattress is pumped up, it’s time to move the patient.

These air powered systems come with straps to hold the patient safely in place during the lateral transfers process. They also come with convenient handles for the caregivers to use when sliding that patient from one surface to another. In most cases, the lifting or pulling weight is reduced to almost 10 percent of the patient’s weight.

With virtually no friction beneath the pad when transferring from surface to surface, moving patients can be done with minimal caregiver exertion. Reducing exertion reduces risk of injury to nursing staff. There are a few different brands that offer this system, including SPH Medical, and Hovermatt. Air powered transfer systems can also be easily used for patient repositioning.

The Immediate Benefit Of Air Powered Transfer Systems

Air powered lateral transfer systems provide many notable benefits for both the healthcare worker and the patient. These systems provide a less strenuous way for healthcare workers to transfer patients from one surface to another. This reduces the occurrence of a nursing injury, including a repositioning injury or a chronic low back injury.

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic concerns, more and more healthcare facilities are investing in disposable pads for air powered systems. These pads can be easily thrown out after each use, or reprocessed, reducing risk of cross contamination in between patients and reducing risk of infections hospital wide.

Improve Patient Satisfaction

For patients, these air powered transfer systems provide a more comfortable and safe transfer process. Since the patient is being supported by the inflatable pad instead of a draw sheet, the transfer process feels more supportive and comfortable. The uncomfortable and typically manual process of being transferred is replaced with a frictionless float to the target surface. In addition, the safety straps give the patient a feeling of security during the transfer. Overall patients are happier and staff are safer. This is a win win for everyone including the hospital.

lateral transfer systems