Patient Support Systems And Methods For Assisting Caregivers With Patient Care

Abstract

A patient support system comprises a patient support apparatus for patients. The patient support apparatus also comprises an actuatable device that perform one or more predetermined functions on the patient support apparatus. A controller is provided to control the rate of operation of the actuatable devices based on a user input or a patient condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A patient support system for a patient having a patient condition, the system comprising:
 a base;   a patient support surface supported by the base;   an actuator configured to move the patient when disposed on the patient support surface, the actuator being operable at different rates of operation;   a sensing system configured to sense the patient condition when disposed on the patient support surface and to generate a patient condition sensor input signal, the sensing system comprising a camera configured to sense the patient condition when disposed on the patient support surface; and   a controller configured to receive the patient condition sensor input signal from the sensing system, determine a desired rate of operation for the actuator based on the patient condition determined by the camera of the sensing system, and transmit an output signal to control the actuator with the desired rate of operation.   
     
     
         2 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on a combination of the patient condition and medical procedure data, patient characteristic data, caregiver observation data, medication data, prior injury data, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on a combination of the patient condition and caregiver observation data comprising psychological data, phobia data, pain sensitivity data, nausea data, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a patient presence sensor in communication with the controller, the patient presence sensor configured to detect whether the patient is disposed adjacent to the patient support surface; and
 wherein the controller further configured to determine the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on a combination of the patient condition and whether the patient is disposed adjacent to the patient support surface.   
     
     
         5 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a movement sensitivity score based on the patient condition, and to determine the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on a combination of the movement sensitivity score and the patient condition. 
     
     
         6 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user input device configured to transmit a user input signal to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured determine the desired rate of operation of the actuator based on a combination of the user input signal and the patient condition. 
     
     
         7 . The patient support system of  claim 1 , further comprising deck sections supported by the base and a deck adjustment system to move one or more of the deck sections relative to the base, the deck adjustment system comprises the actuator, the controller configured to control the actuator with the desired rate of operation to control the rate at which one or more the deck sections moves relative to the base. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a patient support system for a patient having a patient condition, the patient support system comprising a base and a patient support surface supported by the base, an actuator, a sensing system comprising a camera, and a controller, the method comprising the steps of:
 sensing a condition of a patient with the camera of the sensing system to determine the patient condition for the patient;   determining a desired rate of operation for the actuator based on the patient condition; and   controlling the actuator with the desired rate of operation to move the patient.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining a movement sensitivity score based on the patient condition, and determining the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on the patient condition and the movement sensitivity score. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving a user input signal with the controller, and determining the desired rate of operation for the actuator based on the user input signal and the patient condition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , the patient support system comprising memory in electronic communication with the controller, the memory storing operational modes, the method further comprising selecting an operational mode, and controlling the rate of operation of the actuator based on the selected operational mode. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the patient support system comprises a coordinated motion device comprising the actuator and a second actuator, the coordinated motion device capable of assuming a first state and a second state, the method further comprising controlling the actuator and the second actuator with the desired rate of operation to control the rate at which the coordinated motion device moves from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the patient support system comprises a transport device to move the base across a floor, the transport device comprising the actuator, the method further comprising controlling the actuator with the desired rate of operation to control the rate at which the transport device moves along the floor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the patient support system comprises deck sections and a deck adjustment device to move one or more of the deck sections, the deck sections supported by the base, the deck adjustment device comprises the actuator, the method further comprising controlling the actuator with the desired rate of operation to control the rate at which the deck adjustment device moves one or more of the deck sections relative to the base. 
     
     
         15 . A patient support system for a patient having a patient condition, the patient support system comprising:
 a base;   a patient support surface supported by the base and configured to support the patient;   a coordinated motion device comprising actuators, wherein each actuator is operable at different rates of operation, and wherein the coordinated motion device is moving the patient support surface from a first state to a second state;   a sensing system configured to sense the patient condition when disposed on the patient support surface and to generate a patient condition sensor input signal, the sensing system comprising a camera configured to sense the patient condition when disposed on the patient support surface;   a user input device configured to provide a user input signal; and   a controller configured to receive the user input signal from the user input device, determine a desired rate of operation for each of the actuators based on a combination of the user input signal and the patient condition determined by the camera of the sensing system, and transmit an output signal to control each of the actuators with the desired rate of operation.   
     
     
         16 . The patient support system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to recognize an actuation pattern of the user input device, and the controller is configured to determine a desired rate of operation for each of the actuators based on a combination of the actuation pattern and the patient condition determined by the camera of the sensing system. 
     
     
         17 . The patient support system of  claim 15 , wherein the user input device comprises a force sensor, and the controller is configured to determine the desired rate of operation based on a combination of a force applied to the force sensor and the patient condition determined by the camera of the sensing system. 
     
     
         18 . The patient support system of  claim 15 , further comprising a seat coupled to the base, wherein the seat defines a portion of the patient support surface, and the actuators comprise a first actuator and a second actuator, with the first actuator configured to tilt the seat relative to the base, and with the second actuator configured to lift the seat relative to the base. 
     
     
         19 . The patient support system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second states are selectable with the user input device, and the controller further configured to control a rate at which the patient support surface moves from the first state to the second state and the user input signal. 
     
     
         20 . The patient support system of  claim 15 , wherein the user input device comprises a nurse control panel and a user control panel, the nurse control panel coupled to the patient support system such that the nurse control panel is out of reach of the patient when disposed on the support surface, and the user control panel coupled to the patient support system such that the patient control panel is within reach of the patient when disposed on the support surface.