Project Description:
Non-ferromagnetic IV poles are indistinguishable from their ferromagnetic counterparts because they have a similar design and use the same universal clamping system. This leads to situations where non-MRI safe ferromagnetic components are attached to MRI-safe non-ferromagnetic IV poles and vice versa, which can result in deadly projectile incidents. This occurred in 2023 when an MRI safe infusion pump was placed on a non-MRI safe IV pole and the pole became projectile. There needs to be a clear difference between the two types of poles and their attachment pieces to prevent these incidents from occurring. Our solution is to create a tapered-shaped pole that will be unique from a ferromagnetic pole. Additionally, due to the pole shape, universal clamps, usually used on ferromagnetic poles, will not attach to the redesigned pole. The pole will have clear and permanent labeling so that as the pole gets cleaned, the label will not rub off or fall off. During this project process, we created and prototyped several components of our system before settling on our final design. We ensured our pole had material stability through loading simulations and weight bearing tests. Chemical stability was assessed via a series of cleaning tests using medical standard equipment. Shareholder satisfaction was gauged via a design survey which included relevant components of our design. Regarding ethical impact, the fact that our pole is non-metallic is an ethical benefit because metal is non-MRI safe. There are various ethical considerations concerning the pole’s use by medical personnel. For example, the pole’s height and weight should be taken into consideration to ensure that it isn’t too high to cause issues with cleaning or grabbing necessary tools and that it isn't too heavy to cause issues with maneuverability. The labels on the pole should also be taken into consideration to ensure that it is at an eye-friendly level to prevent issues with distinction.
