Patient Lifting Pad with Bed-Rail Anchoring Straps
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Solution Overview
Problem
The health industry faces a significant risk of back injuries due to unsafe lifting practices when handling bedridden patients, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders and increased medical costs, as turning and moving these patients is a challenging and hazardous task.
Innovation Solution
A patient incontinence and lifting pad with securing straps and an absorbent insert that allows for the safe turning and moving of bedridden patients by anchoring the pad to the bed railing, reducing the need for manual handling and incorporating a superabsorbent polymer for urine absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual handling and turning of bedridden patients is performed, then patient care and hygiene maintenance is achieved, but health personnel are at high risk of back injuries and musculoskeletal disorders
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting pad serves as an intermediary device between health personnel and bedridden patients. The pad is placed under the patient and secured to the bed, allowing personnel to lift and turn the patient by lifting the pad itself rather than directly handling the patient's body, thereby eliminating direct physical contact and reducing back injury risk
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting pad enables the patient to be lifted and turned through the pad's interaction with the bed structure (via securing straps) rather than requiring manual intervention. The pad system performs the lifting function autonomously when activated by the bed's mechanical system, reducing dependency on human strength and technique
2Reliability
If bedridden patients are turned frequently to prevent pressure ulcers, then patient health is improved, but the complexity and difficulty of the turning task increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting pad acts as a mediator that simplifies the turning operation. By securing the pad to the bed and positioning it under the patient, the system transforms the complex manual turning task into a simpler process of activating the bed's lifting mechanism, which automatically performs the turning action through mechanical motion
3Reliability
If absorbent materials are added to manage incontinence, then patient hygiene is improved, but the device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting pad system is segmented into separate functional components: the lifting pad itself, the absorbent incontinence pad, and the securing straps. This segmentation allows the absorbent pad to be added as a separate layer without significantly increasing the weight of the primary lifting function, and enables easy replacement of the absorbent component when saturated
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 pad significantly reduces the risk of back injuries and musculoskeletal disorders by enabling safe turning and moving of patients without direct physical handling, while the absorbent properties manage incontinence effectively, making it a reusable and efficient solution.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a superabsorbent polymer for urine absorption
Implementation Method 2
superabsorbent polymer for urine absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A patient incontinence and lifting pad is an apparatus utilized to absorb urine excreted by a bedridden patient as well as to facilitate turning and lifting the patient. The apparatus includes a bed pad on which the patient is able to lie as well as an attached first securing strap and a second securing strap used to anchor the bed pad to a hospital bed railing or similar structure. An elongated band of the first securing strap and the second securing strap may be attached to itself in order to anchor the bed pad. An absorbent incontinence pad insert for absorbing urine is inserted within a slot on the bed pad and may be removable/replaceable. The absorbent incontinence pad insert may be held in place within the slot by a peripheral hook fastener strip.