NORSK DESIGNRÅD
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Valuable tool for lifesavers
CPRmeter is a professional tool that guides the lifesaver, enabling him or her to provide good, stable continuous chest compression. Photo: Laerdal Medical
When medical research showed that chest compression performed in life-threatening situations was generally of very variable quality, Laerdal Medical began work on developing the CPRmeter. With 50 years of experience in designing medical products for treatment and training purposes and 1200 employees around the world, the company recorded an annual turnover of NOK 2,100,000,000 in 2007.
“CPRmeter was developed for the professional lifesaver,” says Harald Sævareid, industrial designer at Laerdal Medical, “that is, ambulance drivers and other health care professionals, as well as corporate employees responsible for in-house lifesaving initiatives. CPRmeter is a professional tool that guides the lifesaver, enabling him or her to provide good, stable continuous chest compression,” he explains.
Several stages
CPRmeter is the continuation of a first-generation equipment project– a project that has given the company valuable experience.
The commissioning party and owner of the new project is the marketing division of Laerdal Medical. Product Manager Jo-Fredrik Ranhoff says that research shows a clear correlation between the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation provided and the likelihood of surviving heart failure. He explains that they had set themselves the following objectives at the start of the CPRmeter project:
- To make the feedback provided by the machine to the lifesaver more private. User tests have shown that lifesavers do not like to be corrected in public, not even by a machine
- The machine must be able to be used by anyone who has had training in defibrillator use
- The machine must be able to be used both as an independent unit and be connected to two Philips Health Care defibrillators/advanced defibrillator monitors
Comprehensive user testing
”CPRmeter was developed in close cooperation with employees at Philips global design divisions and our own team,” says Mr Ranhoff. ”We have invested a lot of time and resources in comprehensive user testing and the testing of various concepts, both as regards the user interface and the product’s design. We also conducted user surveys among health personnel during the early clinical research stage while we were still working on prototypes. These surveys were carried out simultaneously by us and by Philips in several different countries and on several continents,” he explains.
Positive adjustments
“User tests and the experience gleaned from the first-generation products have been of crucial importance to the design of the final product,” Mr Sævareid says.
“It is easy to turn a blind eye to weaknesses in something one believes to be a good idea. User feedback and our monitoring of how they have actually used the equipment in a stressful situation provided us with unique practical insight and has resulted in positive adjustments throughout the process,” he concludes.
“Including designers from a very early stage of the process has been very valuable,” says Mr Ranhoff. “A specific design brief informed them of what we wanted from the product, and they were able to compare this information with the results of the user surveys. In this way we were able to find out and rule out a lot of things at an early stage.”
Effective user interface
Harald Sævareid explains that the most unique feature of the CPRmeter is its simple and effective user interface.
“When performing CPR, it can be difficult to gauge how deep the compressions should be, and when you are tired, you are often less accurate,” Harald explains. “According to the guidelines, each cycle should consist of thirty compressions while the patient’s lungs must be inflated twice. Furthermore, each compression needs to be 4–5 cm deep. CPRmeter monitors the process and informs users immediately if anything needs to be corrected. The messages given are formulated positively and are submitted discretely, without a sound, in case any of the patient’s next-of-kin are present,” he says.
How does CPRmeter work?
Inside CPRmeter complex calculations are made in real time, based on the speed and power of the compressions. This information is then translated into dynamic, visual feedback on an integrated screen. The equipment guides more than it corrects. It gives priority to providing feedback in accordance with the compressions that are performed and what is important in a medical context. Through its shape, design and choice of materials, the product takes account of the ergonomic situation for both the patient and the life-saver.
Why does it have that appearance?
CPRmeter was designed for clinical use. It has clean lines, is made for repeated use and is easy to clean. Other advantages of the product include the following:
- The underside of the product has the same pressure surface as that of a hand. Foam tape ensures that the product does not slide out of position.
- The top of the product has a soft-moulded area where the lifesaver places his or her hands. There are also indicators to show the correct placement of the product.
- The materials used meet the manufacturer’s own requirements as well as environmental and health standards set by the public authorities.
- All the data measured is stored on an SD card, so that the entire situation can be reviewed on a computer at a later stage. In this way the users can receive comprehensive feedback about what can be done to improve performance, at the same time as the data can be used in a research context.
CPRmeter is also available in a cable version that can be connected directly to Philips’ new defibrillator, Heatstart FR3, and the more advanced Heartstart MRx defibrillator/monitor.
Well-deserved praise
CPRmeter is considered to be an innovative product with a design that is well thought through and provides many user benefits. The product was therefore awarded the Norwegian Design Council’s Award for Design Excellence in 2009.
“The process has taken longer than we had thought, partly due to the complexity of our cooperation with Philips – a major international player – and partly because it is also demanding meeting the needs for documentation for medical equipment. Everything must be proven medically and scientifically whenever one does anything in a way other than the conventional manner,” explains Jo-Fredrik Ranheim, who expects to recoup project expenses within the next three to four years.
“Our aim has been to produce a good product that helps save lives,” says Ranhoff, referring to the company’s key value and objective “Helping save lives”. “CPRmeter was launched in May 2008 and is available to order from the second quarter of 2009. Hopefully, the apparatus will help save many lives even before the end of this year,” Ranhoff concludes.
