October 13, 2023 | Terry Smith

How does the MultiFlow Stretcher help prevent pressure injury in emergency departments?

Patients can develop pressure ulcers within a few hours of entering an emergency department (ED). With the pressure on hospitals increasing as we move into winter, more and more patients are waiting for longer in emergency departments, leading to a greater risk of patients developing pressure injuries.

In this article, we look at how implementing the MultiFlow Low ED Stretcher can help prevent pressure injuries from occurring in your emergency department.

How does the MultiFlow help prevent pressure damage?

The MultiFlow Low ED Stretcher from Felgains is the first stretcher on the market to feature dual auto-regression, which means that both the backrest and knee brake move outwards when profiling the stretcher. The below diagram shows this in action:

How does dual auto-regression help prevent pressure damage?

Reduces shear and friction

Dual auto-regression allows for the natural lengthening of a patient’s body during profiling into a sitting position, significantly reducing shear and friction.

On a stretcher without auto-regression, it’s common to feel like the stretcher is compressing your body when it’s being profiled, and the amount of shear and friction between your body and the mattress increases.

Improved pressure distribution

Similarly, dual auto-regression allows for more of the patient’s body to be in contact with the mattress platform, improving pressure distribution and decreasing the risk of pressure damage over extended periods of time.

Facilitates patient movement and positioning

Dual auto-regression also allows the patient to have more room in the stretcher, facilitating easier movement and positioning, which again helps to reduce the risk of pressure damage over time.

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