St. Vincent First in Nation to Implement One-of-a-Kind Mattress Safety Solution

St.Vincent Seton Specialty Hospitals, long-term acute care facilities in Indianapolis and Lafayette, are the first in the United States to implement a new launderable mattress cover system using Indiana-made Trinity Guardion technology. The local company developed a one-of-a-kind antimicrobial mattress cover and laundering process to ensure the highest level of cleanliness and safety for patients.

St.Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital is a premier long-term acute care hospital that treats patients with complex, specialized treatment programs, says Troy Reiff, RN, chief operations officer at St.Vincent Seton Specialty Hospitals. Since we serve a unique population of patients who remain in the hospital for an average of 25 days, it is imperative that we provide the optimum environment as they journey back to a good health condition.

The hospital worked for three years assisting in the development of the mattress covers and laundry processes through a clinical trial period, and is now are the first two facilities in the country to implement the technology on all beds.

The new Trinity Guardian Bed Protection System works in two ways. The first layer of protection is the antimicrobial material that is used to make the mattress cover.

The fabric contains silver ions encapsulated in ceramic carriers built into a polymer matrix to deliver an antimicrobial effect, says Bruce Rippe, CEO of Trinity Guardion. The material is unique in its ability to retain its antimicrobial efficacy after a laundering process. The antimicrobial feature of the covers reduces bio burden from the surfaces it covers including both the mattress and the bed deck.

St.Vincent Seton Specialty Hospitals will replace mattress covers after each patient discharge or every 14 days. Used mattress covers are sent to United Hospital Services, a local Indiana launderer, who washes the mattress covers for the second layer of protection. The laundering process eliminates 99.99 percent of microorganisms. Mattress covers are then individually inspected for any breech, and repaired prior to delivery.

With this one-of-a-kind protection system, patients benefit from a mattress where no pathogenic bacteria can survive and also are not exposed to any residual chemicals

previously used to disinfect the mattresses. In addition, the mattress covers provide a cooler, more comfortable bed surface for patients.

Dr. Edmond Hooker, associate professor in Health Services Administration at Xavier University lead independent research to determine the effectiveness of the Trinity Guardion Bed Protection System compared to current recommended mattress cleaning protocols. The research findings, based on the clinical trial at St.Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital, concluded that the launderable mattress cover system consistently eliminated 99.99 percent of bacteria.

Together, we are establishing best practices for cleaning hospital mattresses and beds, says Rippe.