Infant Transfer Canopy Barrier for Tube-Safe Thermal Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transferring infant patients are risky due to manual handling, which can cause stress and increase the likelihood of snagging or disconnecting medical tubes, and do not effectively prevent evaporative cooling, which can harm newborns.
Innovation Solution
A patient transfer device with an integrated vapor barrier that forms a canopy around the infant, featuring a center support section, side sections with handles for secure grasping, a stiffening device for spinal support, and a hold-down mechanism for tubes and wires, reducing physical contact and evaporative cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual handling is used to transfer infant patients, then the transfer process is simple and requires no special equipment, but it causes stress to the infant and increases the risk of snagging or disconnecting medical tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a patient transfer device as an intermediary tool between the nurse and the infant patient. This device includes a support section for receiving the patient, side sections for securing the patient, and a handle for easy manipulation. The device acts as a mediator that eliminates direct manual handling of the infant, thereby reducing stress on the infant and preventing accidental disconnection of medical tubes while maintaining operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device securely transfers infants while minimizing stress and preventing evaporative cooling by providing rigid support and retaining medical lines, thus enhancing safety and comfort during transport.
Implementation Method 1
the patient is often stimulated which, in high risk patients, can introduce unwanted stress to the infant patient. In addition, when a nurse lifts the infant patient, there is an increased risk of the nurse snagging one or more of the multiple lines connected to the patient (IV, EKG leads, ET tube, etc.).
Data Source
AI summary
A patient transfer device is utilized to transport infant patients between locations within a hospital environment. The patient transfer device includes a center support section and a pair of side sections that can be moved into contact with each other to surround the infant patient. The first and second side sections each include a handle that can be brought into close proximity to each other and can be grasped by a single hand of a clinician. The patient transfer device includes an integrated vapor barrier that can be positioned to at least partially surround the infant when the infant is received on the patient transfer device to reduce evaporative cooling of the infant. The vapor barrier includes a support structure to create a canopy that holds the vapor barrier out of contact with the infant.