Patent Publication Number: US-5839586-A

Title: I. V. bag carousel organizer

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/492,255, filed Jun. 22, 1995, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to the organization of bags containing fluidized medicaments. More specifically the invention relates to the organization of intravenous bag medicaments while in refrigerated storage prior to dispersal to patients. 
     2. General Background 
     Intravenous fluidized medicaments are generally provided in a bag or container having connection for attachments to hoses, tubes, valves etc. These bags are generally collapsible and are designed to be suspended at one end from a support member such as an I.V. pole. Each bag contains a premeasured amount of the medicament sealed in the bag and is equipped with various attachments connected thereto. In some cases these bags are required to be refrigerated prior to infusion into the patient. As a result the bags are generally placed on a shelf in the pharmacy refrigerator or other refrigerators located near the patient. In cases where several patients are being medicated with such intravenous medicaments, it sometimes becomes confusing as to which medication is assigned to which patient or the sequencing of such medication. Since the bags are not suspended and are simply placed in a reclining position on the refrigerator shelves, the bags become mixed and shuffled repeatedly each time one is removed from the refrigerator. Further confusion exists as a result of various size bags. Rummaging through these bags several times per shift makes an accurate inventory difficult at best. Aside from causing inconvenience and inefficiencies in the handling of the I.V. bags by hospital staff, this may result in incorrect infusion of the patient with the medicament. The present invention recognizes the need for an apparatus for organizing I.V. bags to be stored in a special environment or otherwise held for use in an organized manner for patients. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the I.V. bag organizer includes a tubular section having a base support member and at least two rotatable hanger members at spaced apart intervals individually positionable at intervals along a central tubular section. Each rotatable hanger has a plurality of support arms for holding I.V. bags in their normal hanging position. The apparatus also has measurements which allow for its placement in a commercial refrigerator by removing the existing shelves. I.V. bags of different sizes can be placed on the support sequentially according to type of medication or by patient name thus, making it simple for medical staffer to located a particular medication and confirm by patient name. Rotating the hanger members allows fast, easy access and inventory as well as reorganizing and resupplying after each nursing shift. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like parts are given like reference numerals, and wherein: 
     FIG.1 is an isometric view of the apparatus with I.V. bags shown hanging therefrom; and 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation of the apparatus shown in position in a refrigerator. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As first seen in FIG. 1 the instant invention 10 is comprised of a base frame 12; an extendable central column 14; two circular disk members 16, rotatable relative to the central column 14, and a series of hangers 18, extending horizontally from the rotatable disk members 16 for supporting I.V. bags 30. The base frame 12 may be of any suitable configuration and may include a basket for holding ancillary products. The base frame 12 may be equipped with wheels 20 for use in transport to and from a refrigerator 40 such as from a pharmacy to a nursing station. The base frame 12 supports the central column 14 which further comprises a lower tubular section 22; a central column 24 which is telescopically adjustable with the lower tubular section 22; and an upper section which is telescopically adjustable with the central column section 24. The upper and lower tubular column sections 22, 26 are adjustable relative to the central tubular section 24 via thumb screws 28 or other such securing devices. The disk members 16 may be any desired shape and are rotatably fitted to the central tubular member 24 and upper tubular member 26. The central column&#39;s 14 telescopic arrangement allows the two disk members 16 to be height adjusted relative to each other and to the base frame according to the space required for different size I.V. bags 30. The upper tubular section 26 and its rotatable disk 16 may be removed, if desired, to permit a portion of the refrigerator 40, seen in FIG. 2, to be utilized with shelving. Additional tubular sections 26,24, having additional rotatable disks 16 and bag holders 18, may also be added, if needed, to allow for additional I.V. bag 30 storage in larger commercial refrigerators. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.