ENABLE PLAY FOR CHILDREN DURING INTRAVENOUS THERAPY
A 17 week Masters Degree Project at Advanced Product Design, Umeå Institute of Design.
In collaboration with Baxter Medical & Norrland's University Hospital 2011.
The final product result of this project is patent pending.
Due to patient confidentiality pictures of the user testing and the final product in use are
not shown. For more information about the project please send an email to:
martin.hanberger@gmail.com
Current equipment
85% of all hospitalized patients receive some kind of IV- therapy.
Childhood cancer is treated with chemotherapy using IV-therapy with a duration of 2,5 years.
Children are generally less affected by chemotherapy compared to adults. Very often they have the fortitude to play.
IV- equipment placed on an IV- pole is meant to be used by bedridden patients and enable transport, not to support an active lifestyle.
Limited by the equipment
The equipment is constantly in the way of play. IV-lines attached to the chest brings high risk of pain in case of stretching the line.
Images from parents web log.
Frustrating for parents
It is frustrating for the parent to see their child wanting to play but be hindered by the equipment. Constant monitoring of the child is needed to prevent the pole to get stuck or the IV-lines to stretch.
Video linked from parents web log.
Play & development
Reading medical reports on cancer and childhood development through play, it is clear that play has a fundamental role in a child’s normal development and dealing with their sickness. When treating a child with cancer you have to consider other factors apart from survival. Examples are normal development and maintained fertility.
Children are very aware of the equipment and what can go wrong. This insight also limits their spontaneous play and children tend to be more careful. (Of course they sometimes forget.)
Image to the left is from a child's personal probe.
Firm research on flow rates and infusion pump capacity lead to a research break through. There are much smaller existing infusion pumps that could be used with enough capacity for this patient group.
This made it possible to think in wearable solutions for diverse and spontaneous play.
Searching for new solutions
6 ideas were developed with basic function considerations: Should it be
something you pull, something that is following you or should you carry
it on your body?
These concepts were created with the focus on a playful story and the child’s experience of each idea in use.
A wearable direction
After discussing the concepts with all involved users, collaborators and filtering them through an evaluation matrix it became clear that a wearable solution is to prefer.
It enables both diverse and spontaneous play. It is also the only direction that cover the exposed IV-lines and eliminates the biggest fears for children and parents.
This product criteria was crucial for designing a functional garment for this environment and use.
Developed together with nurses and parents this was the checklist for further development.
The input from nurses was important since they are the ones implementing the therapy and handling all the equipment.
After sketching ideas on configurations and features, the most promising were chosen together with nurses and defined before doing test models.
Final configuration
Refining the conclusions from the different test models lead to the final component figuration.
Medical vs. sporty
With thumbnail sketches I searched for a from somewhere between sporty and medical.
Finalizing form
After finding the wanted expression it was time to move over to detailing and colors.
The search was focused on accent unisex colors that works both in home and in a medical environment.
Vest construction
This image shows the final vest construction. Using PEX for covering and protecting the components in the back enables for industrial washing at the hospital.
Indication light on the infusion pumps and the batteries in the front, are seen through thin slots in the protection covers. This gives direct feedback both from the back and the front(for child/ parent) that everything is working as it should. (For example if the child falls or hit the components while playing.)
Scenario
Child and parents are introduced to the equipment. Nurse prepares the medication and shows the parents how to dress/undress and explains monitoring and safety procedures.
The child plays freely while the nurse and parents are monitoring by receiving different level of information from the pump unit through a secure wireless network.
When it’s time to change infusion If the child wants to continue playing, the nurse have the ability to change infusions and set flow while the child is still wearing the garment. (Or place it back on the pole with hanger)
When the child needs to rest, do calm games, sleep, doesn’t feel well, the vest rests on the pole.
The child have the ability to play outside the hospital, maybe meet and play with friends.
