Jacksonville Memorial installs ‘smart’ beds in Transitional Care Unit
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Submitted photo
Jessica Ford, nurse manager of the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) and outpatient psychiatry at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, demonstrates how clinical staff in the TCU can use the unit’s new “smart” beds. (Photo: Bobbi Wiseman / Memorial Health)
Fifteen hospital beds in the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital have been replaced with state-of-the-art beds designed to prevent falls and provide increased comfort and safety for both patients and caregivers.
“Our first priority is safety for our patients and our co-workers, and these new beds support that beautifully,” said Jessica Ford, nurse manager of the Transitional Care Unit at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital. “Reports show that a large percentage of inpatient fall-related injuries happen on or near a bed while the patient is unassisted. These beds specifically address that challenge.”
The new beds – ProCuity models by Stryker – feature an industry-low height of 11.5 inches to allow for better, safer patient-caregiver interaction and effective fall prevention. The beds connect to the nurse call system and a dashboard at the nurses’ station tracks bed data, including bed configuration and an exit alarm that senses a patient’s weight and alerts nurses if a patient is out of position or has left the bed.
In addition, each bed features a low air loss mattress with pressure reducing zones to help prevent skin breakdown and pressure injuries. A low air loss mattress is an air mattress covered with tiny holes designed to release air to help keep a patient’s skin dry.
Funding for the beds is provided by the Maurice and Ruby Funk Trust distributed through the Jacksonville Memorial Foundation. The trust provided $160,000 to purchase the beds.
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One of the 15 newly-installed beds designed to prevent falls and provide increased comfort and safety for patients and caregivers in the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital. (Photo: Bobbi Wiseman / Memorial Health)
“It is an honor for foundation trustees to be tasked with utilizing the Funk Trust distributions in accordance with their wishes,” said Mary Fergurson, president of the Jacksonville Memorial Foundation board of trustees. “The Maurice and Ruby Funk Trust has funded numerous purchases and renovations over the years that have allowed Jacksonville Memorial Hospital to stay at the forefront of medical technology, especially benefitting our senior patients, whose welfare was so important to this generous couple.”
In 2016, the Funks’ trust supported installation of a state-of-the-art nurse call system and renovation of the TCU’s 15 patient rooms into private rooms, allowing residents the highest levels of privacy and comfort during their long-term recoveries.
The new beds also focus on patient comfort, featuring an integrated bed extender that allows the bed to stretch an additional 12 inches in length to accommodate taller patients. Each bed also comes with a USB port and holder to allow patients to charge and store personal electronic devices, such as smartphones.
The Jacksonville Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The foundation accepts financial donations to help further the mission of Jacksonville Memorial Hospital to improve lives and build stronger communities through better health. For more information about the Jacksonville Memorial Foundation, visit memorial.health/jmf or call 217-479-5575.
