Support, control and confidence needed to move downstairs independently from caregivers, allowing care givers to give greater attention to those who need it.

At Mercy Hospital the Orthopedic department is located on the 3rd floor. In the event of a disaster caregivers cannot use the elevators to transport patients and must resort to moving patients, who already have difficulty walking, down the stairs.

Most need additional assistance for reassurance but the few patients who are unable to walk are put on backboards and carried down the stairs. With multiple patients per nurse, taking time to escort each patient down stairs increases evacuation time and risk of injury.

Allow for people of various heights to use. Make sure the device has a way that it is easily secured while being used and easily moved when not in use. Communicate the double function between crutch and railing support.

Is there a way to make it move fast for those who only need a little support? Allow for quicker more secured design down the stairwell.

Hand brake system controls the speed at which the user descends.

Small wheels rest on top of the existing railing. The wheels can be controlled by the hand braking system. 

“Teeth” slide up when coming into contact with rail/wall connectors

Small wheels set along the elongated base controlled by hand breaking.