More time for people with Stiegelmeyer Blue Bridge

Dashboard with current status information reduces the workload of nursing staff

Stress often determines everyday life in hospitals and nursing homes. Employees would have to be everywhere at the same time. This also applies at night, when few nursing staff have many rooms in view. Digital connectivity can significantly reduce this burden. At this week's MEDICA, Stiegelmeyer is presenting a system designed to make the work of nursing staff easier: "With Stiegelmeyer Blue Bridge, we want to give nursing staff more time to devote to patients and residents," says Mario Ohl, Product Manager for Connectivity at Stiegelmeyer.

Blue Bridge supports staff by supplying important status information about the beds in the ward, at a glance. Network-connected hospital beds and care beds from Stiegelmeyer send data wirelessly to a dashboard – a graphic overview of all the beds using easily understandable symbols. Staff can view this dashboard on their smartphones or tablets as well as on the ward’s computer screen.

A great help in preventing falls

If a symbol on the dashboard turns red, nursing staff can respond immediately if action is required. Beds equipped with an Out-of-Bed system, for example, can indicate when a resident gets out of bed. If the resident is particularly at risk of falling, prompt assistance will be required. For fall prevention purposes, it is also important to be notified if the bed is not at its lowest position. At night, in particular, this position, close to the floor, protects the resident from fall injuries.

It is also helpful to be notified if the bed is not connected to the power supply. An accidentally disconnected power plug will affect the functions of the bed. Without a battery, no adjustments can be made using the handset. A decreasing battery charge can also result in unnecessary error messages. With the dashboard, such problems can be avoided. Blue Bridge also reports if the mains power plug is plugged in although the bed brakes have not been applied. Steps can then be taken to prevent damage to the cable and power socket caused by unintended movement of the bed. At the same time, patients are also protected from fall injuries caused by leaning against an unbraked bed.

This information gives staff security without having to constantly check technical details themselves. Product manager Mario Ohl himself worked as a trained healthcare worker in a hospital and knows the high demands of everyday life: "Often there is little time for the actual nursing tasks because so much organisational work has to be done," he says. "With our connectivity services, we want to help ensure that nursing staff can deal with people without hectic rush more often rather than with paperwork, technical checks or the search for beds and devices. We help to structure daily processes better."

Time saving through live tracking

A real-time tracking is also planned for Blue Bridge. No need to look for a bed thanks to precise localisation, its position is displayed on the dashboard. "Locating helps with many processes," explains Mario Ohl, "such as reprocessing beds or assigning the right bed for a new patient.“

The decisive factor for Blue Bridge and all Stiegelmeyer connectivity solutions is that they are developed in close cooperation with those responsible on site and adapted to the building's infrastructure. Costly technical installations are therefore often not necessary. Hospitals and nursing homes benefit from digitisation that brings tangible benefits to people, without overtaxing them, and saves valuable resources.