Research Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) device for Green Pastures Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal
In February Lisa van de Weerd started her thesis on creating a vacuum-assisted closure device for low-middle income countries. In collaboration with Green Pastures Hospital, Pokhara, she redesigned a prototype for this device. which is now ready for clinical settings.
Lisa traveled to Pokhara, Nepal, to improve the already existing prototype. She added a canister holder, a lid for the canister, a silencer and an overflow protection for the canister. These improvements made the device more safe, portable, and easier to use for both patients and nurses. After redesigning the device, Lisa conducted interviews with nurses from different hospitals in Nepal to validate its ease of use and gather feedback.
Thanks to the FAST fund, Lisa was able to extend her stay in Nepal from one to three months, which gave her the opportunity to make numerous design iterations. The extra time gave her a deeper insight into the environment and the Nepalese culture. In the last month, Lisa also conducted interviews, which were invaluable for the final redesign. Lisa is grateful for this opportunity to develop my engineering skills and gain personal insights into a different environment.
