First-generation Penn student invents wearable light for nurses

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Seems like a good idea having a hands free light.  However, don't know how many nurses willing to pay for $20 for wearable light worn  @ the neck -- lower price point might work. . In the 15yrs  I worked nights  late 70s and 90's, got by with a $3.00 pocket penlight -just changed battery 2-3 x year.  During my husbands  more recent hospitalizations, nurses used their work cellphone light even to perform pupil checks.  Maybe I'm just not modern enough.

 

Philadelphia Inquirer   02/03/2021

First-generation Penn student invents wearable light for nurses

Quote

...After interviewing 250 nurses, Scarpone-Lambert and Mancillas discovered that 87% struggled to see while providing patient care at night. “When nurses can’t see, we put our patient and ourselves at risk,” Mancillas said. “This leads us to turn on intrusive overhead room lights that disrupt our patients.”

The Lumify pair’s data found that during a single night shift, nurses may turn on their patient’s room light an average of nine times, leading to disrupted sleep and potentially worsened health outcomes.

Scarpone-Lambert and Mancillas came up with the 2-by-1-inch LED light that they believe is a game changer....

...Aside from its practical uses, the light is a symbol of sorts to nurses, said Rebecca Love, president of the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Leaders (SONSIEL), a Boston nonprofit working to elevate nurses into the forefront of health-care innovation.

“In hospitals, nurses are meant to sit at the bedside and are not acknowledged for the expertise they have with improving patient lives,” Love said. “We are disempowered as a profession. But stories like Anthony’s focus on entrepreneurship, and creating something that makes a difference....

 

 

 

[amoLucia]

I've seen around the neck lighting devices before. Most were developed for NOC shift nurses for med pass. Now if it provides a wide visual field, NEAT!

Need to make it something that CNAs would readily use. They ALWAYS turn on the lights in LTC!

[MunoRN, RN]

I'm a bit confused because wearable lights have been around for a long time and quite common.  This just appears to be the first light specifically marketed to nurses.