AWARD YEAR
2021
CATEGORY
Work
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being, Gender Equality, Decent Work & Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption & Production
KEYWORDS
nurses, obesity, lumbar pain, good work conditions , recyclability
COUNTRY
Argentina
DESIGNED BY
Ileana Carolina Vico
WEBSITE
https://www.instagram.com/ivico.design/
Rotation of patients with obesity
The device helps rotate patients with obesity so to reduce the nurses efforts and lumbar pain.
In Argentina, 85% of nurses are female and their average age is 47 years. Studies show an increasement in obesity, getting to >60% of overweight population. The estimated weight for obese patients in intensive care units is 180-200 kg.
Nurses position and rotate patients by using body mechanics in a manual technique. Due to the lack of nurses in hospitals they have to take care of more patients. This causes them lumbar pain as they're making more effort than they should.
Products that could help reduce their efforts aren't imported to the country. The design considers the country's capabilities to produce a device that works with a patient lift and replaces the standart mattress cover with an optimized one that also works as a harness. The materials proposed can be easily recycled or even reused in new products.