Heart Hugger is during pre-operative orientation

Heart Hugger is generally fitted to the patient right after extubation in the ICU by the caregiver.   After detaching the shoulder strap from the handle on one side of the Heart Hugger slide the handle under the patient’s arm.  Bring the shoulder strap over the shoulder and reattach to the handle.  Do this on both sides of the patient, having them lean forward to do so, making sure the chest strap material lies flat against the patient’s back.

(IMPORTANT for Patients:  Never try to reach back to put your arm through the shoulder strap - like trying to put on a jacket.  This can result in injuring or aggravating your surgical wound.  Always keep your elbows close to your side and never raise them above your shoulders until your careprovider says that you can.)

Next, the caregiver adjusts both sides of the Velcro® chest belt to center handles over the sternum the patient’s hand length apart.

The Velcro® retention straps above and below the handles keep the handles in place.   Ideally the handles are parallel to each other and evenly spaced away from the sternal wound.  If adjustment is necessary, disconnect the retention straps and slide the handles closer together or farther apart by adjusting the Velcro® chest belt.

Whenever the patient needs to support their surgical wound (during Respiratory Therapy, coughing, sneezing, getting into or out of bed, or cars, etc.) the patient squeezes the handles together using fingertips only.  Caregivers can also use the handles to help patients splint their surgical wound and to help turn the patient in bed or help with other uncomfortable movements.

The most common problem with the handle adjustment is that they are adjusted too close together and not tightening up the chest belt enough to support the surgical wound.  If adjustment is necessary, disconnect the retention straps and slide the handles closer together or farther apart by adjusting the Velcro® chest belt.

For Women, the handles rest above the breasts not around them. The handles might be a bit flared out at the bottom.  This is okay as long as the patient can grasp the handles with their fingertips.  For additional support it is recommended that the patient also be fitted with the Surgi-Support Vest™ for Women.

Sometimes as the patient slides down in bed , the back of Heart Hugger can ride up towards the shoulders causing the handles to be flared at the bottom, making it difficult to squeeze the handles.  To adjust, the caregiver sits the patient forward from the back of the bed just enough to pull downward on the back of the chest strap in the back, bringing the handles into proper alignment.  Securing the bottom retention strap usually eliminates this problem.