Repositioning patients in bed frequently is critical to reducing the incidence of skin breakdown and pressure injuries, and a variety of tools exist to help both patients and caregiving staff improve the ease and comfort of repositioning and transfers.
One common strategy is the use of sliding sheets. However, they may pose barriers for safe and effective repositioning, leading to increased risk of injury to staff and patients as well as decreased patient and staff satisfaction.
The WendyLett Repositioning System offers a unique solution to traditional repositioning methods, maximizing both efficiency and comfort for all involved.
Sliding sheets are often used to overcome the friction of traditional bed linens that prevent easily moving a person in any direction in bed when they require repositioning. Although this approach reduces physical strain and fatigue for staff, it requires significantly more time, discouraging use.
Sliding sheets must be stored, retrieved, and moved into position under a patient. Additionally, if they are left in bed, they pose a risk of allowing a patient to slide off the bed.
Implementing more effective tools to encourage compliance with recommended repositioning intervals can help reduce caregiver burnout, improve patient outcomes, and avoid costly pressure injuries.
The WendyLett Repositioning system was designed with efficiency and comfort in mind. A premium product that uses superior fabric technology, it is comprised of three parts:
The WendyLett Repositioning System comes in a variety of sizes to fit different bed dimensions, as well as aesthetically pleasing patterns to create a less institutional feel. Because they are designed for everyday use and remain on the bed, there is no time wasted locating and applying them for use or returning to storage when complete.
The bottom fitted layer also helps reduce resistance so that patients who are more mobile can turn themselves more easily, rather than waiting for assistance. Integrated handles in the top layer not only facilitate manual lifting and transfers of immobile patients but can also be used seamlessly with mechanical lifts.
This ease of use extends beyond everyday needs as well. With staffing shortages on the rise and training time at a premium, healthcare facilities need products that are intuitive, effective, and easy to implement, even for staff that may have never touched the product.
The WendyLett system is designed with built-in visuals that aid in correct use by caregivers. The fabric pattern itself doubles as instructions: the slide sheet has a pattern of white stripes on a grey background, indicating the direction of glide. The 4-way draw sheet has a sliding surface underneath and a grey-checked pattern illustrating the direction of draw.
These features mean that new employees, float staff, and temporary staff can use the WendyLett system effectively without hours of specialized training.
The high-quality fabric used in the WendyLett system helps avoid the friction and shearing damage of resistance against standard bed coverings during repositioning. They can be used on top of a pressure-relieving mattress without compromising the pressure-relieving properties of the mattress.
To provide the user with maximum comfort, all seams have been eliminated across the layers, and the design of the joint seams has been minimized. Made with a combination of soft cotton and durable polyester, the double-fabric design helps prevent patients from sliding out of bed while at the same time lasting longer than other products.
Investing in the WendyLett Repositioning System facilitates comfort and efficient, safe repositioning and transfers for patients with limited mobility. Using this product in place of traditional repositioning aids can help remove barriers to effective repositioning, improving both patient and financial outcomes. To learn more about how you can include the WendyLett Repositioning System in your facility’s quality care, contact us today.
Ceiling lift technology is core to any healthcare organization’s safe patient handling program. It is well established that mechanical lifts are the safest option for both staff and patients. As adoption of lift technology has increased, advancements in how these units function and perform, especially in emergency situations, helps further safeguard patients and staff alike from unintended injury. Standard technology may meet basic requirements, but recent innovations to lift technology present an opportunity to enhance safety even more.
Unexpected emergencies can sometimes occur during the mechanical lifting process. Caregiving staff need a fast and effective way to stop lift motion without warning. To address this, the standard emergency stop feature on Savaria’s new M-Series Clinical and M-Series Bariatric lithium-ion battery powered ceiling lifts will now include a proprietary safety feature called Powered 3-Down™ three-mode emergency function.
As a standard safety feature, all mechanical lifts are equipped with an emergency stop feature that allows for immediate halting of the lifting process in case of an emergency or unexpected situation. This critical feature is an important safeguard for caregivers and patients alike.
However, standard emergency stop technology simply interrupts power to the unit and switches it to a mode that allows staff to manually lower the lift to a safe position. But Savaria’s new proprietary three-mode function technology goes beyond the standard process, streamlining the user experience and enhancing patient safety.
To activate, the user simply pulls on a highly visible, bright red emergency stop fob to immediately interrupt power to the unit and stop the lift’s movement.
This also provides instant access to a two-button panel that extends from the fob, offering three modes of emergency function:
This function ensures maximum user control over the process of safely lowering a patient to a chair or bed while in emergency mode. To activate the lowering function of the lift, the user must simultaneously press the down arrow while also maintaining a downward pull on the cord it is attached to. This acts as a safeguard against unexpected or unwanted lowering, as the movement stops immediately if at any time the downward pull on the cord is released.
The opposite of the powered lowering feature, this allows a patient to be safely raised if suspended in mid-transfer.Another scenario where this feature offers an advantage is in cases where, for example, the emergency stop has been engaged while the patient is in a tub, leaving the patient otherwise stranded. No other ceiling lift on the market includes this safety mode.
This feature introduces increased safety and simplicity into the reset process after the emergency stop has been activated. Any ceiling lift with a powered emergency lowering mode is required to have a means to reset the unit back to its standard operating mode. Because pulling on the emergency stop cord manually moves the unit’s interior stop switch into an engaged position, the unit will not resume operation until that stop switch is manually returned to its closed or “off” position.
Because these units are ceiling-mounted, the stop switch is also at ceiling-height on the underside of the unit. Reaching the switch is impossible from the floor without employing a stick, pole, or even a carry bar to push the switch closed. Or—if required by facility protocol— by calling maintenance or biomed to perform the re-set using a ladder or pole.
These options introduce multiple challenges:
To get around this, some manufacturers have outfitted the emergency stop cord with a tubular sheath, which acts as a pole for pressing the re-set button on the lift. In theory, this is a workable solution. But in reality, it creates an infection control issue, and in some instances can snap out of position and create a hazard.
Savaria’s 3-Down™ emergency feature circumvents all of these obstacles, offering a safer and more efficient option. It allows resetting from the ground simply by clicking the fob back to its closed position. This immediately takes the lift out of emergency stop mode and puts it back into standard operating mode.
Additionally, the lift includes a failsafe mechanism for manual lowering in the event the lift becomes completely inoperable.
The proprietary 3-Down™ feature is patent pending in north America and internationally.
It’s easy to see why the Savaria Emergency Stop with Powered 3-Down™ function offers superior function and safety over traditional lift technology. For deeper insights, let’s explore some frequently asked questions about this feature:
Safety standards require a “double-fault” or redundancy condition to prevent hazardous situations (ex: uncontrolled movement). Typical units on the market are in fact single-fault without penalty. Savaria’s emergency stop technology provides the required redundancy with a requirement to 1) pull and maintain tension on the cord, and 2) press the button while maintaining tension. Additionally, there is built-in redundancy in the unit’s electronics.
No, all fob components are inherently anti-microbial and the cord and fob can be wiped down in place. In addition, the cord is essentially “bullet-proof”— it is made of UL rated, industrial-grade underwater cable. This same material is used in applications such as forcefully pulling a diagnostic camera through a sewer pipe, illustrating its resistance to moisture and its strength.
For further sanitation, the unit itself is designed with drainage holes in the event of cleaning solution entering the unit (liquid does not harm the electronics). All components have extra protection against shorting. The fob and cord can be cleaned using the same procedures recommended by the operating manual for the lift unit itself.
In some cases, varying ceiling heights may require cord adjustments. Savaria’s Emergency Stop cord can be lengthened or shortened by 12” by adjusting it within the cabin of the lift mechanism and re-applying a strain relief securing clip.
No, all M-Series Clinical and M-Series Bariatric units shipped after March 1, 2025 will include this feature at no extra charge.
If you’re ready to accelerate your organization’s safe patient handling program with Savaria’s innovative ceiling lift technology equipped with the Emergency Stop with Powered 3-Down™ feature, get in touch with our experts today.
Continued advancements in the healthcare industry include the use of lithium-ion technology to power medical devices. At Savaria Patient Care, we remain on the leading edge of this technology and are committed to safety and innovation with the use of lithium-ion batteries in our lift devices. By adhering to rigorous design standards and testing, we are able to offer best-in-class, reliably powered medical equipment that enhances the quality of care.
One of the clearest examples of this technology in action is the Savaria advanced ceiling lift product line. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, they are not only efficiently and reliably powered, but their use of this technology also means reduced risks for both staff and patients.
This investment was a careful choice as part of the mission of designing a ceiling lift that would outperform industry standard lifts. Lead acid battery technology is a primary cause of poor performance in existing lift technology, but by leveraging a lithium-ion battery, the Savaria ceiling lifts offer several benefits over traditional ceiling lifts:
These features eliminate the challenge of unreliable lift technology that needs to be repaired or charged frequently, leading to equipment that is not ready for use when needed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that safe patient handling with lifting equipment reduces injuries to healthcare staff by up to 95%, making it imperative to have reliably operational equipment. Furthermore, this supports increased patient satisfaction and comfort and a reduction in patient falls and pressure injuries as well.
As lithium-ion technology has advanced and become more prevalent across all industries, the healthcare sector is no exception to this reality. To help ensure safety in the application of lithium-ion technology in the healthcare industry, the United States Food and Drug Administration has established a consensus standard specific to lithium-ion technology in medical devices.
Adhering to robust safety standards is critical in supporting the growing use of lithium-ion technology in medical equipment. With this in mind, Savaria’s lithium-ion batteries are not off-the shelf commodities; they are designed specifically to meet exacting FDA standards for healthcare environments.
To achieve this, our lithium-ion battery packs are equipped with a sophisticated battery management system (BMS) designed to monitor and regulate all critical parameters including optimal charging, cell balancing, temperature, current, charger input and voltage. They also meet these requirements:
All Savaria products use a 63Wh, 2500mAh lithium-ion battery pack. This is smaller than the batteries used in most of the medical equipment typically found in healthcare settings, including many defibrillators, ultrasound devices, monitors, laptops and power tools. It is also smaller than the safe shipping threshold of 100Wh required by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally, this is far smaller than the batteries used in portability mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes, and pales in comparison to the size and capacity of those used in e-vehicles.
Overall, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for lithium-ion battery technology is projected at 20.3% from 2024 to 2030. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy has outlined a national blueprint for its continued development, and the healthcare industry can expect to be an active part of that growth.
Lithium-ion technology is found across a wide array of medical equipment, from IV pumps to wearables to mechanical lifts. Increasingly, it will be used in place of older battery technology as a flexible, efficient, and sustainable source of power for medical devices.
As this innovation continues, healthcare facilities and safety regulators will be tasked with ensuring the devices that are being used to deliver care are backed by companies like Savaria who invest in properly designed and tested medical-grade lithium-ion products.
Lithium-ion technology is key to powering readily available, easy-to-use, and reliable safe patient handling solutions at Savaria, helping to end the era of manually lifting patients. If your organization is ready to invest in cutting-edge ceiling lift technology and would like to learn how Savaria’s commitment to safety and innovation can help you, or contact us today.
