Page 30 - April2020.indd

Creativity
in the Face of Crisis
A casual conversation launched a medical innovation to help keep health care providers safe during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
By Diane Rice
What do you get when you introduce need to ingenuity and add a dose of spare time due to the isolation of social distancing? When retired racehorse trainer and artist Russell Harris and his doctor neighbor from San Antonio, Texas, are involved, the sum equals an innovation that their local hospital embraced to add a layer of safety for medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients.
As March turned to April, Russell and his anesthesiologist neighbor discussed the pandemic. The doctor expressed his concerns for the safety of medical personnel on the front lines, and Russell’s creative juices started churning. The result, in less than a week from start to finish, is
a shield that allows medical workers access to a patient’s head without exposing themselves to airborne virus particles that could infect them or others in the treatment train. Read on to learn what went into this amazingly simple invention.
Tell me about your light bulb moment: When did you realize there was a need you could help meet?
Russell: I got to talking with this doctor friend of mine and he said they were having problems trying to keep medical personnel clean and sanitized when COVID-19 patients came in on gurneys on a fast scale. We live in a little ranch community and you know, if you have a ranch, you can make just about anything you have to in your shop.
What steps went into designing the shield?
Russell: We talked about the things he wanted
the device to do: In addition to protecting medical workers from virus particles, it had to be see-through
and convenient to slip on and off of the patient, and had to allow medical workers access to the patient’s face with their hands and with equipment that might be needed for treatment. We sketched out the size and dimensions of what he needed. Then I used sheets of polyfoam board [1/4” thick foam-core art board], which was easy to cut with an X-Acto knife and glue and tape together myself. Over a couple
of days, I made several prototypes. When we settled on the right one, I built a second version out of see-through plexiglass. Thursday, he took it to the hospital to try out. There weren’t many changes then other than what they were making it out of so it would be easy to sanitize. When they first tried
it out, they weren’t using real patients. I suppose they used medical staff to make sure that it fit and it was meeting the needs for administering whatever medication or treatment was needed.
What are the shield’s dimensions?
Russell: It’s 22 inches long, 16 inches wide [shoulder to shoulder], and 18 inches tall. It’s even got a little bit of a cutout so if a person’s shoulders are broader, you can still slip it on with their head enclosed underneath the structure.
How was the device received by health care workers?
Russell: The doctors liked it and were excited about it because it would keep them a lot safer.
What administrative hurdles did the device face?
Russell: They were concerned about keeping it sanitized, so Thursday afternoon they took it into
company, which a
a local glass
is making
shatterproof
model that can be
cleaned and sanitized easily.
When somebody comes in on a gurney
or something, they can slide the shield over the patient’s head. They can use the armholes to get to the patient, and they can slide hoses or whatever they need in through the other end of it.
What was the cost of materials per unit?
Russell: The polyfoam and tape for the first prototypes was only $10 or $12. The plexiglass- and-glue model ran a little over $100. I don’t know what the production cost is going to be for the glass version.
When will the shield be ready for use?
Russell: I’d think they’ll have it done today [Friday, April 3] or this weekend.
What other uses will the shield have?
Russell: I think they’re wanting to use it both for surgical procedures and patients being admitted for COVID-19 treatment.
Have you named the shield?
Russell: No, I just let the hospital do whatever they wanted with it, I was just trying to do whatever I could and help out. I just asked them to keep me informed; I’m curious about how it works out. It really is pretty simple.
Simple, yet genius!
Innovator Russell Harris designed and produced the prototype for the medical shield being used at a local hospital for treating COVID-19 patients.