Safety Matters

Ocean View is a community-governed organization in Eastern Passage. It consists of a Continuing Care Centre with 176 long term care beds and one respite bed, as well as many community based programs and services.

HAZARD

Within the health care sector, Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs) are the most common time-loss injuries, and 50 per cent of these are linked directly to the work involved in handling, transferring or repositioning of patients. This trend was reflected in the injury statistics at Ocean View, but nursing staff investigated their injuries in more depth and identified that challenges during repositioning, or the sheer frequency and volume of resident repositions, was the primary injury driver at their home. 

CORRECTIVE ACTION

Rehabilitation Assistants, Jake Harding and Rowena Graham stepped up to tackle the issue.  With an identified problem and no real, effective solution available on the market, they seized the opportunity to be creative, and invented a new product. 

The J-Ro EZ Rest is a covered foam wedge specifically designed to keep a resident lying on their side to allow ease of care without putting as much strain on staff or residents. While it sounds like a simple solution, the process from concept to creation was anything but, “It was difficult to find the proper shape, angle, material,” says Rowena. It took three months to get the first functional prototype and more than two years to get a marketable product. This involved numerous iterations which included old ‘repurposed’ mattresses, borrowed foam, and trips to the local shoemaker. 

For more information on the J-Ro EZ Rest, visit ezrest.ca.