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MEDICAL 2019

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TLC Splints 2017-2019


TLC Splints 2017-2019
TLC Splints 2017-2019

Designers: Metaphase Design Group, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Manufacturer: I.V. House, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, USA


TLC Splints 2017-2019
TLC Splints 2017-2019

Project Description

I.V. House, Inc. and Metaphase Design Group, Inc.  transform the IV therapy market with ergonomic design solutions that improve patient safety, increase nursing efficiency and treat patients with dignity and compassion.

Up to 90% of hospital patients require intravenous therapy. Typical IV splints block visual exams, cause limb fatigue, use skin-irritating tape, contribute to lost IVs and increase the number of painful restarts. Failed IV insertions, obstructed site exams and restarts increase the risk of injury, infection and infiltrates.

Founder, inventor, entrepreneur Lisa Vallino, BSN, RN of I.V. House used her clinical and managerial experience in a pediatric Level One trauma center to assess the need for innovative product developments in the IV therapy market. As a response to clinician concerns about the IV site caused by traditional armboards, Lisa partnered with Metaphase Design Group to create a series of intravenous joint stabilization and IV insertion site protection products, including the TLC® Splints.

The Wrist, Foot and Elbow TLC® Splints are the first to incorporate human factors design and ergonomics that stabilize the joint in the ideal orientation for IV therapy. Unlike typical splints, TLC® Splints balance limb resting length and force production for the best use after immobilization. Its human factors and ergonomics stabilize inflexion and pad touchpoints to prevent irritation, facilitate visual exams, eliminate skin-irritating tape and provide minimal restraint, greatly improving care and satisfaction among both patients and clinicians. The TLC® Splints create a faster and easier method for checking the IV site, virtually eliminate infiltrates, remove tissue abrasion, extend dwell times and reduce traumatic restarts.

Protecting a successful IV insertion can be especially reassuring in the most vulnerable NICU and geriatric patients. The TLC® Splints are designed to be safe and gentle, while preventing patients from accidentally dislodging or removing their IVs while they are hospitalized.

Metaphase Design Group’s user-centered innovation process anchored by design allowed nurses and patients to drive the discovery for the TLC® Splints. Metaphase used direct observation and interviews, clinician and patient feedback, work flow analysis, anthropometry, surface anatomy and somatotype analysis, followed by prototype iterations and field testing to perfect the final products.

When designing products for the healthcare field, it’s important to solve problems for both the nurse and the patient. Human factors and ergonomics allow product design to be a seamless extension of the human body to increase comfort and performance. By partnering with the world leader in ergonomic industrial design for hand intensive products, I.V. House incorporates best practices of human factors and ergonomics into its design process and product portfolio.

Metaphase and I.V. House have continuous dialogue and testing with clinicians, standards, hospital clients and research partners (Infusion Nurses Society, FDA, CE Mark, Cook Children’s MC, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital). A recent Joint Stabilization Study at St. Louis Children’s Hospital showed 0% IV infiltrates in patients wearing the TLC® Wrist Splint compared to 28% IV infiltrates in other splints. the TLC® Splints comply with Nursing Standards of Practice, CDC Guidelines and OSHA Standards, and are assembled and packaged by adults with disabilities at ISO Certified facilities.

Each I.V. House product is specifically designed to make it faster and easier for nurses to check IV insertion sites and the surrounding area for signs of complications, for instance, changes in color, size or temperature, and real-life hospital trials show promising results.

As hospitals continue to focus on improving patient satisfaction, devices that extend dwell times and reduce the need for painful restarts will improve a patient’s outlook on their hospital experience.