” Don’t wake him, he needs the rest- your Olfan worked it’s magic.”
This old man still remembers fondly the smells of his youth- freshly cut hay, equestrian sweat, cleaning out the horse and cattle barns and the peculiar smell of freshly shorn wool.
He is now old, with only the memories and in the hospital confinement. Luckily, he is fortunate enough to have the progressive, caring, ” thinking outside the box” hospital management prescribing the “Recovery Radio” distraction curtain to surround this patient and the “olfan” olfactory management. He is also fortunate enough to have the caring family members familiar with the fond smells of his youth.
The “Olfan” is simply a small fan with the custom prescribed activated olfactory cartridges inserted in the cavity in front of this fan. Tbe family members had the choice of the smells of freshly oiled equestrian saddles, the faint but peculiar odor from puppies and kittens, freshly cut alfalfa, the barnyard smells, the pine forest in the air, the smell after a soaking rain, the Oregon seacoast, the sweet smell from the bakery, etc. to choose from.
“Thanks, Lord.” prays the nurse-phlebotomist
This prayer will be commonly thought after the newly developed intravenous catheter placement “smart-tool” is clinically marketed.
Technology exists to combine nano-technology, Robotics, sonographic guidance technology, laser and infra-red positioning technology, biomedical and mechanical engineering technology with software engineering to ensure proper placement of intravenous catheters without mistakes.
Perhaps this scenario is possible: A microsized computer flat screen on top of the smart-tool gives the user a sonographic (or similar technology) image of the vein and it’s width. A cursor, corresponding to the position of the iv. catheter, is seen in this sonographic image. A steady LED light on top of this device and a steady tone tells the caregiver that the correct catheter insertion angle is reached. If the light starts to blink and the tone occurs intermittently, the caregiver knows that the catheter angle is too shallow or too deep for proper placement. The robotic arms on this smart-tool will push the catheter through the skin into the vein after the user pushes the button on the side of the device. This tool may save valuable time in emergency situations in which “collapsed veins” are seen.
This innovative device would be capable of performing a “self check” of all electronic parameters to be certain that these parameters are within specifications prior to each use.
The nurse-phlebotomist would manage this sterilizable hand held device to place the catheters in the veins first time-every time.
This innovation is also useful in the veterinary paradigm. Perhaps this device would also be widely used in the paramedic arenas.
“Wyatt’s Theorem”
What is “Wyatt’s Theorem”?:
1. CW (morse) communication is rare. It is so rare that many people live their lives without seeing morse operation. Many people who do view and listen to morse communication find it fascinating to watch. The majority of young adults who view morse communication are fascinated when they see it in operation.
CW communication is historic. It has an exciting history. This quality makes cw communication appealing to young adults. It has the “secret language” aspect because it is so rarely used by the public.
2. Young adults learn cw faster and easier than adults. The civil war leadership utilized this fact by using young adults as “telegraphers” in the civil war.
3. CW communication is like any “foreign language”. It takes many hours of effort to learn it well. Many people attempt to learn cw, but fail because it is difficult to learn it well.
4. CW communication, if learned well, is so much fun- it is “addicting”. I have often “talked” to other cw operators who are in the midst of their “cw fix” for the day. CW communication may not be as much fun until the CW is learned so well it can be “copied” at speeds in excess of thirty words per minute without taking written notes. The “work” aspect of cw communication then falls away and the pure enjoyment of it starts. Modern technology has removed the physical effort once required to send cw. Modern cw keys attached to “electronic keyers” have two vertical paddles. One paddle sends a string of “dots” as long as it is pressed. The other vertical paddle sends a string of “dashes” as long as it is pressed.
5. CW communication is challenging. It is fun to send the right amount of dots and dashes and send cw with the goal of zero mistakes.
6. CW communication solves the need for everyone to have social interaction. It is valuable for “introverts” who have difficulty finding the words to communicate “face-to-face” with other people. CW communication gives these people time to find the right words to say. It solves this social interaction need in a non-threatening, safe, self esteem building, fun, relaxing way. ”Facebook” use by these at risk young adults could possibly lead to the new psychological syndrome called “Facebook depression”. The KID’S CLUB units can be used in some cases to treat this depression.
I told a newspaper reporter that CW communication combines the fun, challenges and self esteem elevating properties of video game use with the utility of cell phone texting to communicate with other people.
However, cell phone texting is not nearly as much fun as cw communication. Cell phone texting can also be done by nearly everyone. Video game use exposes young people to violence- killing imaginary people and monsters does not seem edifying. Responsible people can assume that this video game violence will continue to spiral downward. Once young adults become “addicted” to video games, their appetites will spiral into the “mature” themes and worse that are now available.
These qualities of cw communication make it ideal as a self esteem building, stress diverting, source of fun for young adults. I am especially thinking about its’ qualities as a motivating tool for stressed, at risk, “troubled” young adults who have few obvious redeeming qualities.
Why couldn’t learning and using CW communication be used as an alternative to “punishment” for selected populations of juvenile offenders? This select group of troubled young adults would have the choice of learning and regularly using cw communication or being placed with their troubled peers in the self esteem destroying, isolated buildings- separate from the “normal” population of young adults. This CW communication ability would instead be the “carrot” that places young adult offenders above their peers. The judge or prosecutor in the case would then loan a KID’S CLUB unit to the young adult.
These young novice CW operators would possibly feel compelled to study basic electronic theory, become proficient in reading and spelling and study FCC rules governing the amateur radio service. They could then pass the FCC supervised test required to obtain a federal amateur radio license. The amateur radio service contains the last remaining pool of accomplished cw operators worldwide.
I do not believe that this theorem has been tested and would be an ideal topic for a research project by an advanced degree candidate.
It is so frustrating to me that the people who can influence educational and public policy will not even let me demonstrate the qualities of cw communication. I have the equipment and ability to demonstrate this, but rarely receive any replies to my solicitations for help and chairpersonship of my project.
My idea of nirvana is a job that allows me to demonstrate cw communication to other people.
Duane Wyatt WA0MJD
“Imagine!”
Imagine hearing your individual amateur radio callsign coming back to you through the aether in morse code from a scientist working at the McMurdo station in the Antarctic.
Imagine your callsign in morse being sent by a Boeing 747 pilot on a transatlantic flight.
Imagine your callsign being returned from the Space Station by the United States Space Station astronaut who is conversant in morse code.
Do you see and feel the thrill these moments would create in the minds of medically challenged young adults? Do you understand the feelings of pride and accomplishment these moments would create in medically challenged young adults, who have formerly felt the pain of underachievment and low self esteem? How wonderful the moments would be if recreated under the audience of the youngster’s important peers (who cannot feel this pride because they have not worked to accomplish morse proficiency and worked to pass the exam needed to obtain an amateur radio license).
You will not know how much fun, stress diverting and self esteem elevating amateur radio, including morse communication, is unless you are exposed to this impressive mode of communication. Morse communication combines the fun, challenges and self esteem elevating properties of video gaming with the utility of cell phone texting to communicate with other people. However, morse communication does not have the risk of addiction to video-gaming, including addiction to the mature video game themes. Morse communication is so much more fun and faster than cell phone texting.
Thirteen years ago, KID’S CLUB was imprinted on the developer’s mind. This developer has been searching for help (chairpeople) to move KID’S CLUB into the nation’s medical institutions and Ronald McDonald Homes. He is still searching for the influential people who can move this wonderful project into the medically challenged young population. In the hospital discharge process, the young patient’s parents would leave a refundable cash deposit with hospital personnel, take home the KID’S CLUB amateur radio and morse communication exposure unit, use this unit at home and then return the unit to the hospital personnel for a refund of this deposit. The young patient could also purchase this unit by forfeiting this deposit. The chairpeople of KID’S CLUB will solicit unit funding for these hospital supplied KID’S CLUB units from local service club membership (Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Shriners Club, or Elks Club).
The project cannot succeed unless you step forward and volunteer your time and influence to enable success. E- communication is so boring and routine- again, mental ESCAPE from worry and depression is possible by using KID’S CLUB units. Thanks so much for being kind and caring enough to consider volunteering.
My motive is humanitarian, not financial. I am now a senior citizen and would like to be able to utilize my ideas when I have to enter the hospital or nursing home. Thus, I guess that I have a selfish motive. It would be so nice to have my choice of “Recovery Radio” distraction curtains surrounding me while my choice of soothing music is played into my pillow and my choice of olfactory management is maintained. I would like to see intravenous catheters inserted into my veins first time, every time- even if a novice is giving me this care. I would like to be able to use my ComCage unit while I am in the nursing home and would love to be able to enter a hospital room devoted to the information management for all the wonderful, healthy hobbies that are now available. I would love to see the young patients exposed to the “Hospital’s Hobby Haven” room and also have a KID’S CLUB unit available for use by hospitalized young patients, their families and the pediatric mentally ill. I would love to see “Facebook Depression” as a now extinct diagnosis because of the availability of KID’S CLUB units and the “Hospital’s Hobby Haven” DVD’s. I would love to see the two to six year old patients in the hospital energized by the availability of “Holiday Hams”- an effort to tell these young patients that they are loved, important and will be thought of during their stay. The patients’ favorite storybook hero will “talk” directly to the youngster. It would be so nice to be able to “talk my attending physician” into signing off on my request to utilize the “bathroom independence” facilities that I talk about here and are now routinely in use. I would like to see the allied health professionals using my “Crib Note” idea routinely. I would love to see the patient concern about adverse drug events a “non-issue”. The safeguards I propose in this blog make such mistakes impossible.
I have a patentable idea that would be heavily used in the amateur radio and possibly also the military communities. This idea is not seen at this time, in this project blog. It would be reasonably priced, very unique, easily used and would have no similar product like it. I will give this idea to any corporate staff who will agree to earnestly work on and help develop the KID’S CLUB aspect of this project. I would hope also for a licensing agreement with this partner that will give partial revenues from this patentable idea directly to my three children and my personal friend, Pastor Wayde Kenneke- to lighten their economic load in life.
I hope that there are people perceptive enough to see the value of one or more of these ideas. Please email me at: duanewyatt@hotmail.com if you are interested in helping me. My cell phone telephone number is 916-677-9799. My wife’s (Sheryl) cell phone number is: 916-677-6936.
“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”
Yes, this post can certainly be considered “certifiably Jules Verne”. But, perhaps the technology exists to develop this idea. Here goes:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients are not able to move skeletal muscles in the later stages of this disease. Thus, communication with the caregivers may be a problem.
The Morse Code alphabet is a truly binary language. It consists of combinations of dots and dashes- short and long sounds, lights or, in this case- higher and lower brain wave frequency patterns. I know that there are differing brain wave patterns. These brain wave patterns consist of differing frequencies. I know that it is possible to manipulate one’s own brain wave patterns. Perhaps research can find out if one or more of these patterns can communicate in the binary morse code language.
The ALS patient could learn the morse code language during the early months of the illness and would be conversant in the language when it is needed to communicate with the caregiver. I can talk to other morse users at speeds up to thirty words per minute. I copy the morse in my head, with minimal use of written notes. I find the morse code language fascinating and loads of fun.
Would it be a possibility to forsee a communication method in which EEG sensors distinguish higher and lower frequency patterns of brain waves, consciously produced by an ALS patient conversant in morse code? The software of the computer attached to this EEG device would then translate the CW (morse code) that is sent by the patient. Perhaps this EEG could be combined with computer software-developed only for this purpose and would be a new medical device, invented for this purpose.
Perhaps this communication method would also be valuable as a communication tool for Muscular Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy and Cerebral Palsy patients?
As an alternative or in cases where total muscle paralysis is not present, Toyota motor company’s “Touch Tracer” technology could possibly be applied here to provide an alphabetized and symbolized pressure touch flat screen. The caregiver would slowly move each letter on this tablet under the patient’s finger. The patient would slightly press each letter and/or symbol he/she wants to use and this letter-symbol would be displayed on the room’s television monitor for everyone to see.
Once again, I do not know if this post is a possibility and it seems far fetched to me, but it is worthy of thought and perhaps pursued further with research? I have read about the research being done with “Brain-Computer Interfaces.”
“Eliminating your elimination concerns”
As I have stated, some of these ideas appear to be “Jules Verne” in nature, however I believe that they will one day be a part of every hospital, nursing home and hospice.
When I am thinking about how hospital care can be improved, I think about my days as a patient in the critical care department of a hospital. I think about my thoughts at the time and I then think about ways to correct the concerns I was thinking. This is one such correction. I still remember, years later, the “butt chewing” I endured from my nurse after I tried to go to the bathroom without her help.
When capable patients have to eliminate (and/or bathe) , they can have the ability, although bed bound, to accomplish these bathroom duties without the help of a caregiver.
Health-care providers will see the incidence of CAUTI (catheter associated urinary tract infections) go down if these facilities are developed and routinely used.
There will be tracks in the ceiling of each room (One end would be at the ceiling of the patient’s bed and the other end of this stainless steel track would cross the bathroom stool ceiling and end in the bathrooms’ bathtub ceiling.) with a stainless steel “children’s swingset” seat customized with retractable stainless steel harnesses to keep the patients on these seats. We are all aware of the harnesses that retract after roller coaster rides. Perhaps this system would work well here also. This system would differ from roller coaster harnesses in that the harness would have to retract from both the front and rear sides of the patients. Sensors in each harness would limit the “travel” of each harness to prevent their placement around the patients in an adverse manner. Perhaps the harnesses could consist of two stainless steel “bars”. When the chair is resting below the hospital ceiling, the bars would be at rest above the seat. After the patient slides onto this seat, the patient would press the control button to move these bars down to rest at mid-femoral and mid-lumbar regions. This should provide enough stability for patient safety.
Simple patient controls would be on the beds and just above one leg of the seat. UP-DOWN-BACKWARD- FORWARD -NURSE ALARM -HARNESS FORWARD- HARNESS RETRACT and other simple commands would be present. These controls would be battery operated and waterproof and easily sterilizable. The controls would have a safety feature that would prevent this seat from moving above a specified distance from the floor while the patient is on this seat. The caregiver would be able to over-ride this feature to place the seat at resting level after the patient has gone home.
Capable patients would command the unit to come to the patient’s bedside and lower the seat to bedside level. The patient slides forward to be placed on the seat, commands the harness to surround (or partially surrounds) his body and proceeds to the bathroom for elimination duties and/or bathing. After these duties are accomplished, the commands would begin again. Toyota motor company’s ” Advanced parking guidance system” software could perhaps be used to “fine tune” the placement of this chair at the patient’s bedside, toilet and bathtub to provide ease of use and safety.
Perhaps this system would free up the nurses for other duties. Perhaps this idea will help correct shortfalls in nursing care due to adverse nurses ratios due to budget cuts and nursing shortages. Perhaps this idea may help reduce the incidence of patient falls while in the hospital. Perhaps paraplegic patients may find this idea valuable while in the hospital or at home. Perhaps this idea will not work. There would have to be informed consent forms signed before using this system and would be available only after approval of the hospitalist in charge of the patient. If the system is in use, a nurse’s station light will alert the caregiver of this use.
“Intravenous Reminders”
We all know about the electronic signs that ”scroll” moving words across the rectangular screens.
Perhaps, it may be useful and help the patients focus on positive news if the horizontal tops of the intravenous poles are made of these small horizontal battery operated signs that say,” Remember, with each drop of this medicine- you are one step closer to home!”
These signs could be tastefully and professionally manufactured, with molded (an integral part of the intravenous stand), stainless steel framing, small in size and with pleasing colors- i.e. the one inch high letters could be in the amber color or light blue color.
“This is simple but makes sense”
This project blog contains ideas from “simple to complex”. This idea refers to the type of over the bed food tray commonly seen in hospitals. These trays are made of sturdy wood laminate tray tops with metal supports and pedestal casters. This idea would be valuable to patients in hospital beds who have to turn around and strain to try to find their glasses, or pen and paper, or wallet, etc. in the drawer by the side of their hospital beds. Perhaps, some patients may worry about their eye-glasses being knocked on the floor if they are placed on top of this furniture. They may have to ask family members or hospital staff to help them locate items that may be important to them.
Perhaps it is possible for the food trays that are currently used to contain a small drawer directly under the top of the food tray. Personal items that are important to the patient could be placed in this small drawer, within easy reach of the patient. If this idea is possible, it may alleviate one small concern from the many concerns these patients would have.
“Say goodbye to iatrogenic grief”
I found the following information on the internet:
” Patient injuries resulting from drug therapy are among the most common types of adverse events that occur in hospitals.9 Although the incidence of ADEs (adverse drug events) and their effect on costs have been investigated in only a few hospitals in the United States, the implications are clear from published results that ADEs constitute a widespread problem that causes injuries to patients and disproportionately increases expenses.”
The medical profession sometimes does not give one a second chance after an error is made.
I foresee a medical paradigm in which the worlds of computer science, pharmacology, government regulation, nano-technology, nursing care and biomedical engineering collide to erase a nurse’s grief due to adverse medication events.
The technology exists for FDA regulators to require pharmacologic bar-codes on bottles of medication which reflect the medication’s name, refractive index, specific gravity, osmolarity, osmolality, dosage, strength, route of administration etc.
The method of delivery of parenteral medication has not changed in years. Why couldn’t the computer laptops you will learn about in later posts on this blog be also used with infrared or laser barcode sensors to read the barcode of each bottle and consequently further infra-red or laser sensors attached to the neck of each bottle of medication by the caregiver reads the diameter, length, refractive index, specific gravity (perhaps also incorporating the colorimetric methods used by blood chemistry analyzers), etc. of the medication in the syringe as the medication is drawn up? Medication syringes that are marketed with the medication already in the syringes are scanned in a similar manner by portable infra-red or laser barcode and medication chemistry scanners. The name of the manufacturer of the syringe and other parameters would be entered in the software of the laptop computer so a warning can be given if the parameters measured in the medication syringe does not match the parameters in the software in the patient’s electronic medical record for the medication ordered by the physician. The software in the computers can also alert the nurse if the medication is being given at an unusual interval from manufacturer guidelines, or if the EMR for the patient lists an allergy for the medication. The use of electronic medical records by the caregivers will facilitate this idea.
These safeguards can also alert the caregivers if the medication in the syringe contains a drug that has not been premixed well (Perhaps this may be one reason for divergent measured refractive indices and/or specific gravities detected by the computer software.)
Other similar methods can be devised to warn the care-giver if the per- os medication does not match the physician’s orders for the patient.
Liquid medication that is required to be given orally cannot be given parenterally because the laser or infrared beam from the microsized chemistry sensor attached to the oral medication delivery container is large enough to sense an attached needle. The computer then will give an alarm, both auditory and visual.
Perhaps the cost of developing and using this technology would be offset by the decreases in liability insurance premiums paid by hospital management.
This patient care idea is also useful in the veterinary paradigm.
“Beneath your hospital bed”
We know about the “massage recliners and chairs” that are now available. It is time for this technology to be applied to hospital beds.
I found the following information on the website- “Massagetherapy.com”:
“ Any condition that reduces the frequency of voluntary or involuntary movements, decreases the closing pressure of capillaries, decreases oxygen carrying capacity, increases tissue demand for oxygen, reduces availability of albumin, vitamins, and trace elements needed for viability of cells, or reduces the resistance of skin to infection can put a person at risk for bed sores.”
The same laptop computers that are used in the distraction therapy techniques described in my “Beyond your hospital bed” post on this project blog could be applied to this “massage therapy” use also. The hospital bed manufacturer personnel could convene a panel of physical therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, internists, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, exercise physiologists, biomedical engineers and software engineers. Because of the amazing communication capability of the internet, the dialogue with this panel of experts can be accomplished through internet conference calls.
Toyota motor company’s T.H.U.M.S. software could provide the nexus and prototype “patient” to help provide this panel with the information needed to design this next generation hospital mattress.
This panel of experts would design the optimum levels, duration and locations of tactile pressure depending upon the patients’ clinical diagnosis and physical and mental conditioning.
The hardware and software would then be designed based upon this research. The laptop computers would control the sensors located in the hospital bed mattress which subsequently control the roller plates (or perhaps precision air pressure technology from “next generation” air mattress technology) in this mattress.
I would like to see the “Beyond your hospital bed” idea posted in this blog combined with this “Beneath your hospital bed” post to create a hospital bed that provides both distraction therapy via the over the bed computer flat screen monitors and the benefits of therapeutic massage provided by this product.
