Apparatus and System for Turning and Positioning a Patient

A system for use with a bed having a frame and a supporting surface supported by the frame, the system comprising:

• a sheet having a bottom surface configured to be placed above the supporting surface of the bed, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, a head edge configured to be placed most proximate to a head of the bed, and a foot edge configured to be placed most proximate to a foot of the bed;
• and
• a wedge comprising a wedge body having a base wall, a ramp surface, and a back wall, the ramp surface joined to the base wall to form an apex;
• wherein the wedge is configured to be positioned under the sheet such that the base wall confronts the supporting surface of the bed and the ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the sheet, and
• wherein the bottom surface of the sheet and the ramp surface of the wedge have engagement members forming a selective gliding assembly that resists movement of the sheet with respect to the wedge in a first direction extending from the back wall toward the apex of the wedge and in a second direction extending from the head edge toward the foot edge of the sheet, such that pull forces necessary to create sliding movement of the sheet with respect to the ramp surface in the first and second directions are greater compared to a third pull force necessary to create sliding of the sheet with respect to the ramp surface in a third direction extending from the apex toward the back wall of the wedge.

A system for use with a bed having a frame and a supporting surface supported by the frame, the system comprising:

• a sheet having a bottom surface configured to be placed above the supporting surface of the bed and a top surface opposite the bottom surface;
• and
• a wedge comprising a wedge body having a base wall, a ramp surface, and a back wall, the ramp surface joined to the base wall to form an apex, wherein the base wall has a base engagement member;
• wherein the wedge is configured to be positioned under the sheet such that the base wall confronts the supporting surface of the bed and the ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the sheet, and
• wherein the base engagement member is configured to engage a surface of the bed to form a selective gliding assembly that resists movement of the wedge with respect to the bed in a direction extending from the back wall toward the apex, such that a first pull force necessary to create sliding movement of the wedge with respect to the surface of the bed in the first direction is greater compared to a second pull force necessary to create sliding movement of the wedge with respect to the surface of the bed in any direction other than the first direction.

A wedge for use with a bed having a frame and a supporting surface supported by the frame, the wedge comprising:

• a wedge body formed at least partially of a compressible material;
• a base wall configured to confront the supporting surface of the bed;
• a ramp surface joined to the base wall to form an apex, the ramp surface configured for confronting a patient supported by the bed;
• a back wall extending between the base wall and the ramp surface;
• two opposed side walls extending between the base wall, the ramp surface, and the back wall;
• and
• a support connected to the wedge and extending outwardly from the apex, the support configured to be positioned in a upper thigh area of the patient, such that a bottom surface of the support confronts the supporting surface of the bed and a top surface of the support confronts the patient.

A method comprising:

• placing a sheet above a supporting surface of a bed and beneath a patient positioned on the bed, the sheet having a bottom surface confronting the supporting surface of the bed, a top surface opposite the bottom surface, a head edge placed most proximate to a head of the bed, and a foot edge placed most proximate to a foot of the bed;
• and
• inserting a wedge beneath the sheet and beneath the patient by moving the wedge away from a side edge of the bed and toward and under the patient, the wedge comprising a wedge body having a base wall, a ramp surface, and a back wall, the ramp surface joined to the base wall to form an apex, such that the base wall confronts the supporting surface of the bed and the ramp surface confronts the bottom surface of the sheet and the patient, wherein the ramp surface of the wedge supports the patient in an angled position after insertion,
• wherein the base wall of the wedge has an engagement member that engages a surface of the bed to form a selective gliding assembly that resists movement of the wedge with respect to the surface of the bed in a first direction away from the patient and toward the side edge of the bed, and wherein the selective gliding assembly permits movement of the wedge with respect to the surface of the bed in a second direction from the side edge of the bed toward the patient to ease insertion of the wedge beneath the sheet, such that a first pull force necessary to create sliding movement of the wedge in the first direction is greater compared to a second pull force necessary to create sliding movement of the wedge in the second direction.