Air Suspension Biodegradable Patient Transport Pad

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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On the one hand, transferring patient from bed to bed is usually handling by the manual lifting of several staffs or utilizing bedsheet, slide sheet , shovel-style stretcher or other devices to move and lift patients. Whatever, there are some advantages using these devices. On the other hand, nurses are among the professionals at the highest risk for musculoskeletal disorders. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that overexertion in manual lifting was the main event or exposure leading to injury or illness involving time away from work. Excessive weights, awkward postures, and repetitive motions are some of the known risk factors that contribute to sprains/strains and back injuries. During the process of patient transferring , it refers to the above risk factors for health-care workers. It recommended that using appropriate assistive equipment can reduce the injuries. If staff is safe, patients are safer. The research team has designed and produced a new transport assistive devices-- biodegradable and air-suspending transfer mattress, which was precisely controlled by gas flow and based on ergonomics. And then apply it to the clinic in order to find whether it's benefit for patients and nursing staff. It is a randomized controlled trial design.

Detailed Description
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Research design：randomized controlled trials. Computer generated random numbers. The patients were randomly divided into three groups, ① transfer patients by air-suspending mattress, ② transfer patients by slide board, ③ transfer patients by bedsheets. Participants: passive patient with transports needs, such as CT/ MRI examination etc. The sample size estimation was according to the formula of multiple parallel design. The main outcome measure was the perceived exertion.

Official Title
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The Design and Application of Air Suspension Biodegradable Patient Transport Pad

Conditions
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Critical Illness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: transferred by air-suspending mattress
* Device: transferred by slide board
* Device: transferred by bedsheet


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Passive patient with transfer requirements, such as CT/ MRI examination , transfer from one department to another etc；Patients or their family signed an informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: The patients weighted over 150kg and have spine fracture ；age< 15 years old.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 15 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental group<br>Patients in experimental group were transferred by air-suspending mattress. | Device: transferred by air-suspending mattress<br>* Put mattress in advance on the bed. When patients need to be transferred from bed to bed, fill the mattress with gas and keep it inflated, then pull the mattress .<br>|
| Active Comparator: control group 1<br>Patients in control group 1 were transferred by slide board. | Device: transferred by slide board<br>* When patients need to be transferred from bed to bed, insert slide board under patient, then pull the slide board.<br>|
| Active Comparator: control group 2<br>Patients in control group 2 were transferred by bedsheet. | Device: transferred by bedsheet<br>* When patients need to be transferred from bed to bed, just lift the bedsheet.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Force value | Spring balance was used to measured the pulling force while transferring patients.(Force value in N) | Day 1 | 
| perceived exertion | Perceived exertion was evaluated by using the Borg Scale of 6-20, which the values near 6 and 20 represent low and high physical exertion, respectively.（perceived exertion in scores） | Day 1 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| respiration rate | Be recorded by ECG monitor the moment before and after transferring.（respiration rate in bpm） | Day 1（before and after transferring） | 
| blood pressure | Be recorded by ECG monitor the moment before and after transferring.(blood pressure in mmHg) | Day 1（before and after transferring） | 
| heart rate | Be recorded by ECG monitor the moment before and after transferring.（heart rate in bpm） | Day 1（before and after transferring） | 
| oxygen saturation | Be recorded by ECG monitor the moment before and after transferring. | Day 1（before and after transferring） | 
| Transfer time | Stopwatch was used to record the time from using the assistive devices to moving the patients to another bed.（transfer time in minutes） | Day 1 |