Patient Mobility System with Removable Ambulation Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient transfer methods are prone to accidents and injuries due to uncertainty about a patient's weight-bearing capacity and lack of support during transfers, which hinders early mobility and recovery, and existing patient support apparatuses have impractical footboard configurations that complicate foot placement and storage.
Innovation Solution
A patient mobility system comprising a patient support apparatus with articulating sections and an ambulation device that can be coupled to the support apparatus, featuring a lift device and adjustable barrier to facilitate safe transfers and early patient mobility, with the ambulation device providing support during movement away from the support apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a patient is transferred from a patient support apparatus to an ambulation device, then the patient can achieve early mobility and recovery, but accidents and injuries occur due to uncertainty about weight-bearing capacity and lack of support during transfers
Solution Approach 1:
A transfer board is introduced as an intermediary device between the patient support apparatus and the ambulation device. The transfer board provides a stable, flat surface that facilitates safe patient transfer by eliminating gaps and ensuring proper weight distribution during the transition, thereby maintaining safety while enabling early mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The ambulation device is pre-positioned next to the patient support apparatus before the transfer begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that the ambulation device is ready to receive the patient immediately, reducing transfer time and enhancing safety by having support available before the patient needs it
2Stability of the object's composition
If a footboard is included in the patient support apparatus to provide foot placement, then patient stability is improved, but storage becomes impractical due to space limitations in the hospital room
Solution Approach 1:
The footboard is designed as a separate, detachable component rather than a fixed part of the patient support apparatus. This segmentation allows the footboard to be easily removed and stored separately when not in use, reducing space requirements in the hospital room while maintaining the stability benefit when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The footboard is made movable and reconfigurable, allowing it to be positioned only when needed for foot placement during transfers or positioning. This dynamic approach enables the footboard to be stored away when not required, adapting to space constraints in the hospital environment
3Ease of operation
If the ambulation device is positioned next to the patient support apparatus, then transfer support is provided, but the footboard prevents the patient from achieving a firm footing on the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer board serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the patient support apparatus and the ground. It provides a stable, extended surface that allows the patient's feet to contact the ground firmly while maintaining the support structure during the transfer process
Data Source
AI summary
A patient mobility system for early patient ambulation. An ambulation device having a barrier is removably coupled to a patient support apparatus such that, in a coupled configuration, the barrier prevents patient egress from the patient support apparatus. The ambulation device configured to provide support to a patient during ambulation away from the patient support apparatus. Each of the patient support apparatus and the ambulation device can comprise a lift device operably controlled by a controller to maintain or control relative positioning of the patient support surface and the barrier in the coupled configuration. The lift device of the ambulatory device can comprise a gas spring having locking element. The ambulation device can comprise patient carrier removably coupled to a patient carrier mount. The patient carrier is configured to cooperate with the barrier to support the patient above a floor surface in a seated position.