Author(s): Ikra Iftekhar Shuvo
Many hospitals use paper thin bed sheets with high friction coefficients which are not ideal for patients with pressure ulcers and who are at risk of developing. These patients suffer a great deal of pain, which could have been prevented. Lying on a weak bed sheet with no regards to regulating micro-climate is a clear promoter of pressure ulcers. Another key factor of a hospital bed sheet is they are to be easily washed or disposed of because of all the unknown fluids that could seep onto the sheet. Therefore, the sheet must not only be to comfort those with pressure ulcers but to be easily washable and reusable. Again, in a hospital setting being able to easily wash the sheet and for it to hold its form is significant for reducing the cost of throwing away sheets less often.
Therefore a theory has been proposed to design a 3D knit spacer bed sheet that will allow patients with pressure ulcers to be comfortable by ensuring a low friction coefficient between their skin and the material. The friction coefficient will be reduced by not only the structure but by the 70 percent polyester, 22 percent polypropylene and eight percent spandex blend. The friction coefficient will stay low due to a high wicking and evaporation capability to ensure the skin stays dry as well as the material. The 3D knit spacer bed sheet also has a higher compressibility which distributes pressure more evenly as well as enabling a care giver to easily rotate an immobile person into a new position. The proposed bed sheet will be easily washable to ensure all bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, and others have been removed. This blanket will be slightly more expensive but is expected to last longer than a typical hospital bed sheet.
