Dive Brief:
- The University of Texas Medical Branch and MakerNurse have unveiled The MakerHealth Space at the university.
- Touted as the first makerspace in the U.S. for healthcare providers, the space is stocked with adhesives and fasteners; textiles and electronics; and a range of tools, from pliers and sewing needles to 3-D printers and laser cutters, for nurses to build prototypes to help patient care.
- According to a prepared statement, some examples of “hacks” include cough pillows made out of hospital blankets wrapped in medical tape and tactile patient call buttons using tongue depressors and pieces of silk.
Dive Insight:
Call them anything from work hacks to life pro tips but everyone loves a good innovation. Judging from the statement, the dedicated space provides a safe haven and materials to help individuals deal with unexpected challenges while on the job.
According to the statement, the space is divided into a series of workstations, each equipped to address a specific medical challenge, such as fluid control or assistive technology.
A “selfie station” in the makerspace helps medical makers capture and take credit for their devices, and develop “how-tos” so others can recreate their solutions.