Keeping Everyone Happy. . .and Mobile
One area hospital adopts mobility aid device to successfully decrease staff injuries and increase patient care.
By Susan Allen

As an inpatient medical/surgical unit, 1A at West Penn Allegheny Health System, Allegheny Valley is one busy place. It's bustling with nurses and aides -- helping patients after a stroke get from the wheelchair to the toilet, assisting patients with partial amputations pivot from the bed to a chair, physically moving patients after knee replacement surgery from bed to wheelchair. Here, patient transfer happens countless times each day.

Their unit staff, like many hospital's, has two prime directives -- help patients get mobile and regain independence and do their job without getting hurt or hurting the patient. It's a lofty goal to do both when you have to gather three or four staff members and physically bear the weight of a patient to move them.

Karen Grywinski, RN, ONC, unit 1A's manager knows that it is difficult to meet both objectives of helping patients get better and keeping staff and patients safe. At the suggestion of an orthopedic surgeon, Ms. Grywinski discovered the Williamson Turn Stand; a transfer aid device that she and her staff have used for over three years to help move patients more quickly and safely.

"We need to get patients mobile early post surgery to decrease the risk of pneumonia, thrombosis and problems with breathing and circulation. The Williamson Turn Stand is an important part of our treatment approach to transition the patient to independence," says Grywinski.

The Turn Stand works by way of a rotating platform that assists the patient in transferring from one sitting position to another. Holding on to the handlebars for balance, the patient is helped to stand up, then the platform is turned to the desired position and the patient is relocated safely and comfortably. The device can hold a person up to 700 pounds, yet because it is made of aluminum, is durable as well as light and easy to move.

Grywinski and her staff at Allegheny Valley say that they reap five main benefits from using the device:

Þ Decreased accident rate with patient transfer
Þ More opportunities to teach proper body mechanics
Þ Increased patient comfort and confidence during transfer
Þ Decreased risk from post-op complications
Þ Increased patient and staff satisfaction

Before using the Turn Stand "patients anticipated pain and getting hurt when being moved," comments Grywinski, however using the Williamson Turn Stand, "patients are pleasantly surprised to find out how much easier and more comfortable it can be. It relieves the stress of being moved."

Like any unit manager, Ms. Grywinski is cognizant of making everyone happy -- hospital management through reduced staff and patient accidents and claims, hospital staff through making their job easier and safer, and hospital patients through enhanced care and safer transfers. For them, the Williamson Turn Stand has fit the bill and they're happy.

For more information on the Williamson Turn Stand, contact Marsha, Williamson Medical Devices, at 888-239-7884 or online at www.williamsonmedical.com.