MOULTRIE, Ga. – Colquitt Regional recently acquired a new technology that will provide numerous benefits for hospital inpatients and caregivers at the bedside.
Over the past year, Colquitt Regional purchased 106 Hercules Patient Repositioner devices for all hospital beds on the med-surg floor, in the critical care unit and in post-partum rooms. These devices, created by The Morel Company, allow a single caregiver to shift a patient’s position in less than 10 seconds with the simple push of a button.
The repositioners feature a specialized sheet which attaches to a drive at the head of each bed. When a patient has moved down in their bed, the touch of a button operates the drive, which pulls the sheet up along the bed, repositioning the patient and the sheet simultaneously.
“We are continually looking for new practices and technology that allows us to better care for our patients,” said Colquitt Regional President and CEO Jim Matney. “The Hercules Patient Repositioners allow us to continue to ensure that patient and staff safety remains our number one priority. By acquiring these devices, we are decreasing patient safety risks and employee workplace-related injuries.”
According to the CDC, rates of musculoskeletal injuries from overexertion in healthcare occupations are among the highest of all U.S. industries. Studies conducted in 2014 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that the overexertion injury rate for hospital workers was twice the average across all industries.
Traditionally, when patients need to be repositioned, multiple staff members are called in to help move the patient, which can require anywhere from two to six people. The Hercules devices effectively diminish the amount of time and manpower that is needed to move patients in their beds.
“Manual methods for patient repositioning have largely been in practice in healthcare organizations across the globe, which often result in injuries to direct care staff,” said Colquitt Regional Chief Nursing Officer Dena Zinker. “These injuries are due to the pulling up of patients and, over time, the body mechanics required cause damage to the lower back and shoulders. With the Hercules devices, it takes only one staff member to move a patient by simply pressing a button and eliminates any physical strain on the care staff.”
In addition to saving time and energy spent by staff members, various healthcare organizations reported that the Hercules devices contributed to improved patient outcomes, increased patient comfort, overall enhanced patient experience, and advanced nurse morale and retention, according to studies conducted by The Morel Company.
“We have already seen a significant impact on our workforce and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive since we implemented these devices in the hospital,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Richard E. Turner, Jr. “Not only should this new technology make our patients feel even more safe while in our care, but our employees know that we made this investment with them in mind and hold their safety and wellbeing in the highest regard.”
For more information on The Hercules Patient Repositioners, please call 229-890-3552.
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Caption: Cailtin Propst, RN, CMSRN, is pictured with one of the beds at Colquitt Regional that has a Hercules Patient Repositioner device. This device helps care staff reposition patients within seconds with the touch of a button. Colquitt Regional recently completed the purchase of 106 devices for beds throughout the hospital.
