Our Work

Due to various factors, IV Smart Pumps often inaccurately indicate flow rates.  In other words, readouts on IV Smart Pumps are often not consistent with the actual amount of medication being dispersed.  This is problematic, as adverse events related to errors from IVSP use are among the most frequent medical device errors reported to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).  Jeannine Blake, PhD RN, Juan Jiménez, PhD, and Sina Fazarneh, PhD from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering have used spectrophotometry (which measures the amount of light that passes through substances to determine the substance’s viscosity, or density) to provide a greater level of detail than that provided by the data previously available.  

Thermal therapy systems surround patients with warm air prior to and following surgery and at other critical times, but the tendency of the plastics to overheat and fracture can decrease their efficacy and cause unintended harm to patients. In addition to gathering data about these devices in the real-world setting, the team designated that data for the creation of novel polymers  that will not be prone to overheating and fracturing. 

Diets rich in fresh produce positively impact physical health, and existing farming and gardening research suggests that the actual processes of farming and gardening can positively affect mental health as well.  The team dedicated its engineering and nursing expertise to perform an analysis of qualitative farming and gardening data, comparing the Western Massachusetts region (including Springfield and Holyoke) to other areas of Massachusetts and the US, and looking at the effects of climate change and environment on local farms.

Non-Ventilator Hospital Acquired Pneumonia (NVHAP) is a leading cause of healthcare acquired infections in hospitals.  Despite the known harm, most hospitals do not report or monitor NVHAP, and neither the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nor the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service CMS) have any mandatory reporting requirements.  A growing body of evidence demonstrates that Oral Health Care is important for the prevention of NVHAP.

This interdisciplinary project brings nursing and engineering students together to explore modular, mobile robotic research and the educational ecosystem to create solutions to healthcare problems.