6 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7
The Or team at
the university of
Michigan Health
System tried
everything to pre-
vent its OB/Gyn
patients from slid-
ing: eggcrate
foam, gel pads,
shoulder braces
and bean bags as
positioning devices. nothing really worked.
"Despite our best efforts, we still experienced head movement
in some patients," reports Jan Barber, BSn, rn, the university of
Michigan Health System's service educator for gynecology/urolo-
gy in a poster presentation. One patient, she said, slid 3 cm.
Their solution: the speed-bump method. Here's how it works.
First, secure a frame covered with Velcro to the rails on the Or
bed. Then, position the patient with 4 pieces of foam that attach
to the frame. One of the pieces of foam has a raised half-roll
section that resembles a speed bump. Place the speed bump in
the contour of the patient's neck, bumping up against the trapez-
ius muscle. Place another piece of foam under the patient's head
to stabilize side-to-side movement. Place the last 2 pieces of
foam lightly next to each shoulder at a 45-degree angle. "These
function not as shoulder braces, but as lateral stabilizers," says
Ms. Barber.
SPEED-BUMP METHOD
How This Hospital Stopped Patients From Sliding
• SECURE HOLD The speed-bump method of patient positioning uses a piece of foam that fits the contour of
the patient's neck bumps up against the trapezius muscle.
Brent
Klev,
MBA,
BSN,
RN
