Function

This 21st century nursing bag redesigns the outdated and dangerous nurse bag, with design maximising the effectiveness of hand cleaning, reducing the transmission of MRSA, improving productivity and revolutionises the present system or making it obsolete if dedicated procedure packs were used (Gush, 2010). This disruptive innovation consists of: (i) one major injection moulding to avoid bacteria traps caused by part jointing; (ii) an elevated treatment space; (iii) a backless design aiding effective hand cleaning; (iv) absence of all difficult to clean features: velcro, clips & straps; (v) novel use of gravity to retain patient drawers; (vi) a white bag to visually convey its cleanliness to both patient and nurse; (vii) clinical simulations revealed a 60 second saving per treatment, delivering an annual productivity saving of £1256 per nurse. If diffused to all community nurses, this would save the NHS £314 million PA- all for a £50 bag. See the bag at: http://vimeo.com/26325435

Inspiration

Over 1 billion people now receive their patient care in non-hospital settings (WHO, 2010). Away from hospitals the risk of contracting MRSA escalates from 1 in10, to 4 in 10. This increased risk attributed to mobile healthcare workers spreading infections through contaminated medical devices (World Patient Safety Alliance, 2009). The black nursing bag, the universal transportation tool used by community nurses throughout the world has been impervious to design innovation for almost 150 years, and now considered to be dangerous and outdated: 21st century professionals using 19th century equipment. Analysis of bags used by NHS East Riding community nurses discovered that: 33% harboured MRSA; 55% were a camera bag or hand luggage; 77% made from an absorbent textile fabric; 73% having Velcro fasteners, with 55% of bags never cleaned once. To compound matters, no NHS cleanliness standards exist to affect choice., cleaning frequency or preferable materials to resist bugs.

Development

This 3-year evidence-based and co-design led programme supported by NHS East Riding of Yorkshire has engaged healthcare commissioners, service improvement managers, infection control specialists and neighbourhood care teams. Analytical, scientific and creative methods have contributed to the co-creation of a world-class nursing bag: • Service observations • valuation of nursing bags/ nurse bag practice • Envisioning aspirational products using Lego Serious Play • UV analysis of high-fidelity prototypes to determine the effectiveness of hand decontamination • Analogous case studies of world class services delivered in confined spaces • Pressure analysis of hand wiping techniques • Use of link analysis to compare old and new bag work flow • Co-designed with nurses for nurses • Three centre validation study involving clinical simulations: old and new bag