Development of a wool bore mat for patient care and transfer from a supine position

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Currently, bath towel are often used for transferring bedridden patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a wool bore mat for patient care to transfer from a supine position as an alternative to the bath towel, and evaluate its usefulness comparing with bath towel. Materials and Methods: We assessed the strength, durability and body pressure of the newly developed wool bore mat in both experiment and healthy volunteers and compared them with bath towel. Results: The strength and elasticity were significantly higher in the wool bore mat than in the bath towel. The body pressure was (p<0.05-0.01) lower in the right heel and the left knee joint using the wool bore mat compared with sham treatment no bath towel. Also, the body pressure was (p<0.05) lower in the left knee joint using the wool bore mat compared with the bath towel. More subjects reported that the wool bore mat was better in texture, comfortable, and warmth than the bath towel, as well as the neck stability and body pain. Nurses reported that the wool bore mat was easy to handle but it was more slippery. Conclusion: Wool bore mats are more suitable for patient care and transfer than bath towel.