Protective shield for a patient control device

Abstract

A disposable shield designed to sheath a patient control device prevents contaminants from contacting or entering the device. The shield has a bi-directional opening through which the hand-operated device is inserted and removed from the shield. A removable sealing device is used to preserve the integrity of the shield when the sealing device is removed. The shield can therefore be changed each time the device is handled by a different person, minimizing the chances of cross-contamination. The shield also extends the life of the device by preventing biological contaminants from contacting the device.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A sanitary hand-held nursecall device comprising: 
 a hand-held nursecall device having a device shape; and    a shield including: 
 a sheath portion having a sheath shape that substantially conforms to the device shape of the hand-held nursecall device, wherein the sheath portion is made of a flexible, resilient material that blocks biological contaminants from reaching the hand-held nursecall device, and wherein the hand-held nursecall device is disposed in the sheath portion.  
 a bi-directional passage having an open edge that facilitates insertion and removal of the hand-held nursecall device into the sheath portion, and  
 a removable sealing device that closes the bi-directional passage after the hand-held nursecall device has been inserted into the sheath portion.  
   
   
   
       15 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible, resilient material is a synthetic material.  
   
   
       16 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 15 , wherein the synthetic material is one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, vinyl, latex, and nitrile.  
   
   
       17 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible, resilient material is one selected from a woven material and a film material.  
   
   
       18 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible, resilient material is a light-passing material.  
   
   
       19 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the shield further includes an elevation and the hand-held patient control device further includes a control, wherein the elevation is disposed over the control when the hand-held patient control device is inserted into the shield.  
   
   
       20 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the removable sealing device is one selected from the group consisting of an adhesive strip and a clamp.  
   
   
       21 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , further comprising a backing, wherein the shield is removably disposed on the backing.  
   
   
       22 . The sanitary hand-held nursecall device of  claim 14 , wherein the hand-held nursecall device includes a cord portion and the removable sealing device is disposed around the cord portion to close the bi-directional passage around the cord portion, wherein the removable sealing device is one selected from the group consisting of an adhesive strip and a clamp.