Time to Say Goodbye to the IV Pole and Welcome the IVEA

By Helen Taylor

With all of the advancements in infusion technology during the last hundred years, it’s simply astonishing that the IV pole has remained essentially unchanged in design and function during all that time. Top heavy, “tippy”, noisy, awkward, inefficient, for generations the IV pole has been widely viewed as a challenge rather than asset—something to deal with rather than something that actually improves the quality of care.

Finally, however, there’s an alternative. The IVEA is transformative patient-care equipment designed by nurses for nurses to improve mobility, safety, efficiency and storability. The IVEA replaces the IV pole bedside and supports the patient during ambulation. It holds all of the patient’s equipment, including infusion bags and pumps, PCAs, oxygen, chest tubes and catheter bag on a stable platform, and moves easily and securely, promoting early and frequent patient mobility.

The IVEA’s award-winning design is also unique in that it folds and stores easily, reducing clutter in rooms and hallways. This equipment is the brainchild of a former RN, and more than 150 clinicians weighed in on its design. The final result is a piece of equipment that is lightweight yet durable, nimble yet secure—equipment that promises to improve efficiency by eliminating the need to transfer equipment from one device to another and making it possible for one nurse, rather than two or three, to safely ambulate a patient.

The advent of the IVEA couldn’t have happened at a more opportune time. As hospitals experience radical change in healthcare economics, the IVEA offers a means to help improve caregiver efficiency, reduce lengths of stay and improve patient outcomes, thereby improving the bottom line. In light of recent reports on the prevalence of nurse injury and OSHA’s new guidelines for safety enforcement, hospitals are looking for a tool such as the IVEA, specifically designed to improve mobility with less risk of injury for patients and nurses. And with the pronounced shift to more consumer-oriented care, the IVEA’s sleek design has the potential to improve patient satisfaction scores and help hospitals meet the challenges of a more competitive market.

The response from nurses seeing the IVEA for the first time is often, “Wow. I wish I’d thought of that.” In truth, they did. Without extensive clinician input, the IVEA wouldn’t be the product it is: a patient-mobility solution designed to meet the challenges of modern care and finally consign the antiquated IV pole to history.

Learn more about the IVEA at www.iveamobility.com and watch the video.

(video link: https://youtu.be/9uI7DHhv0Jc)