Hovermatt

[magz53]

Anyone have any thoughts on the use of the Hovermatt transferring a patient to the OR table ?? Our facility has recently seen a surge.....literally in post-op infections. I just had occasion to see the Hovermatt in action......I couldn't believe it would be left under the patient during her c-section. We nurses cavi-wipe it down, but nothing can be done about the canvas handles I saw dangling off the OR table which are bound to come into contact with something sterile. Also, wouldn't the air currents needed to move the thing over basically be blowing microbes off the floor and into the air ?? Not to mention use of the big motor and hose.........how "sterile" are they to be even in an OR environment ??? I appreciate the "no lifting" policies in an effort to save my back especially since I have already had back surgery for a large rupture of L5 S1 after many years of lifting in nursing. However, I was horrified to actually see this thing in use and no one can address my concerns. Any thoughts from Infection Control people out there ??

[Jarnaes]

Was told is my OR is thinking abut purchasing the hovermatts... So if you're using them, please post some experiences. Thanks.

[fracturenurse]

Ugh, we use the hovermats in our OR. I hate them...Several reasons. I don't think they are disinfected correctly. Also, they want us to use them in lithotomy. Nasty. I tuck the lower part in when we put the foot down, but they get messed up. (betadine, blood, etc.) The patients slide on them, even though we use a belt on our patients, I worry when they roll the bed and use trendelenburg, etc. If you are doing a total joint, the alvardo foot plate gets left under it...I could go on and on. Yes, they make moving a patient easier, but for me, they stink. I don't know...by the time you plug the thing into the mattress (it's not easy), and inflate it, I could have already moved the patient with a roller. That's just my two cents...