ABSTRACT
Objective To develop a magnetic angulometer for the elevated headboard and footboard of manual hospital bed and then evaluate its performances.Methods The angulometer was made of a rectangular PVC,wooden or metal board.The board had a semicircular angle display area at one end,with the straight line at the top while the curve at the bottom of the board.At the other end there was a magnet fixed with a double coated film,which paralleled the top margin of the angulometer.The angle display area was divided into two symmetrical parts,with the angle range from 0 to 90° and the scale being 15°.A string hanging a weight at the center of the angulometer was used to indicate the angle.A control group was formed with the rusults that 14 nurses got with the troditional angulometers in June.2015,and an observation group came into being with the resalts that the 14 nurses obtained with the developed angulometers in July 2015.The two groups with different angulometers were compared on the efficiency for elevating the headboard to some angle appointed.Results The observation group gained significantly higher position compliance with elevation than the control group (x2=75.15,P＜0.01),and also statistically higher angulometer efficiency when elevating the headboard to the appointed angle (t=-8.80,-5.68) (P＜0.01).Conclusion The angulometer has simple structure and easy operation,and enhances the compliance to body position nursing and the nurse's efficiency.