21st Century Nursing Bag

The significance and reach of design research, research methodologies and design outputs is global. Healthcare providers throughout the world are facing unprecedented challenges fuelled by rising demand and escalating costs. In rising to the challenges of social, demographic and economic challenge the migration of hospital procedures into community settings and patient’s home gains momentum. While new organizational structures are emerging to bridge the divide between acute and primary care settings little dedicated equipment exists to support nurses working in this challenging and inconsistent healthcare setting- the patient’s home. The black nurse bag used by community nurses throughout the world has remained impervious to design innovation for 150 years. To support a global paradigm shift, new ways of working and new type of equipment are necessary as the tradition nursing bag is now perceived to be both dangerous and outdated: 21st century professionals using 19th century kit. To date the design research has attracted international, national and regional attention and recognition as healthcare providers seek new innovation models and interventions that improve service quality, optimize productivity and enhance patient safety. The project continues to serves as a NHS case study. Innovation Awards include: 2010 Medipex NHS Yorkshire & Humber Innovation Showcase Awards: Medical Device Finalist; 2010 Industrial Designers Society of America International Design Excellence Awards: Design Research category (one of five finalists); 2011 Winner of Helen Hamlyn Award for Creativity; 2011 INDEX Award Finalist- Design to Improve Life: Body category (966 entries, 60 finalists with 13 finalists in Body category); 2011 NHS Innovation Challenge Prize Finalist: To reduce MSSA/ E-coli in a health community by 30%; 2011 Nominated for a James Dyson Fellowship (RCA); 2011 Conran Foundation for Design Finalist (RCA). Advocacy statements include: Lord Darzi (2012) ‘very impressive project…’; Chris Gush (2011), Head of Clinical Innovation and Research at the Royal College of General Practitioners and is ex-Scientific and Technical Programme Manager for the Department of Health, HCAI Technology Innovation Programme: ‘Currently the majority of medical devices we use are primarily designed for their function with little consideration to cleaning or decontamination- with your bag it’s the inverse.’; Julia Scharper (2010), Service Design Lead at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement: ‘Your design process and in particular the prototyping session with NHS staff was truly an inspirational example of how co-design and anthropological observation techniques can help tackle service as well as product challenges as defined by patients and staff across a local health community.’; Chris Howroyd (2010), Programme Manager for Health, Design Council: ‘A fascinating project and innovative design, which will no doubt offer clinicians, patients and yourself with many long term benefits.’