Nourish Healthcare Seating
Improving patient usability in healthcare seating for Global
Published on: 
2011
Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Design
  • Nourish Chair
    Improving patient usability in healthcare seating
  • The Opportunity & Journey
    Cooler Solutions self-initiated an in depth exploration into the use of seating in healthcare facilities. Through an observational study and user interviews with healthcare practitioners and patients, Cooler uncovered several unmet needs and desires within this category. The insights from this study were translated into the Nourish Chair, representing a new modern launch into healthcare environment seating for Global Seating Canada.
     
    Selected Insights and Design Implications
    • The healthcare practitioner’s interaction with patient seating is often over-looked making their jobs and level of care difficult. Implication: A simple one-button transfer arm swings back and out of the way, allowing the nurse to easily transfer the patient from bed to chair, or chair to mobility device.   A transfer wheel mounted to the rear leg allows the practitioner to easily move the Nourish chair without having to lift it, potentially reducing injury.  
    • The majority of healthcare seating utilizes large, plush cushions making extraction from the seat difficult for the patient. Conversely, rigid, vertically positioned seating is easy to stand from but is uncomfortable and provides poor support to the patient. Implication: An ergonomically designed seat and back provide top-level comfort and support while allowing easy transition from the seated to prone position. 
    • Much healthcare seating is difficult to clean and provides many “trap” areas where bacteria can hide and grow. Implication: The seat and back wrap over the chairs frame and stitching is hidden beneath the frame reducing the possibility of “traps” and making it easy to clean.
    • Healthcare seating tends to be traditionally styled and juxtaposes with modern healthcare interiors. Implication: The nourish chair is modernly styled with an active, moving emotion about it. This active styling is simulating and motivating to the patient. 
     
    The Results
    The Nourish chair is a well balanced composition of innovative features designed to address the needs of patients and healthcare practitioners and a modern, active aesthetic. Previewed and launched at 2011’s IIDEX/Neocon in Chicago, the Nourish chair has garnered strong excitment from the furnishing and healthcare industries alike.