Pressure care should support the person, not just address their pressure injury risk.
How does the mattress feel? Can the client settle comfortably? Is movement interrupting their sleep? These questions belong alongside skin assessment, mobility and clinical needs. Individual preferences matter when choosing and reviewing a support surface. International Guideline: Support Surfaces
Elata® Clinician Login gives clinicians more control over that experience. It brings together cycle timing, comfort pressure, mattress patterns, lights and sound settings. The aim is personalised care, without making everyday bedside operation complicated.
Clinical Control Beyond the Bedside
Elata ID™ recognises the connected mattress and selects its operating mode. Elata AdaptiveMode™ provides the default operating mode, with responsive pressure and timing adjustments. Clinician Login adds configuration options when assessment identifies a need for change.
Each adjustment should answer a clear question: What are we trying to improve for this client?
That might be a surface that feels too firm. It could be distracting pressure changes, bright indicators or intrusive button sounds. Understanding the concern helps guide a purposeful adjustment.
Alternating Cycle Time: Balancing Regular Pressure Changes With Rest
The default alternating cycle setting is 10 minutes. Clinicians can extend this in five-minute steps: 15, 20, 25 or 30 minutes.*
Why consider regular pressure changes?
Alternating mattresses periodically change which cell groups provide support. This redistributes pressure rather than keeping the same loading pattern continuously. People who move independently also change position during sleep. A historical paper reported major sleeping-position changes every 11.6 minutes, on average. Published in 1979, it provides context for the importance of movement during rest. However, it does not establish an ideal alternating-mattress cycle for every client. View research.
Why might a clinician extend the timing?
Consider someone who notices each pressure change while trying to fall asleep. A clinician might assess whether a longer interval improves their tolerance.
Some clients find alternating movement distracting, particularly when first using the mattress. A longer interval means fewer changeovers, which may help them settle. Longer timing settings mean less frequent changeovers. They do not necessarily make each changeover slower or gentler. They also extend the interval between pressure changes, making clinical review important.
Any trial should consider skin response, mobility, comfort and the client’s care goals. Better sleep matters, but it must be considered alongside pressure care needs. International Guideline: Support Surfaces
As the client becomes accustomed, a clinician may trial five-minute reductions towards the default. This is an individual review process, not a fixed progression.
The goal is appropriate pressure care that the client can comfortably tolerate.
Comfort Settings: Five Choices or 25 Combinations?
Both the EP10AU and EP20AU have five clinician-selected firmness options. These are Extra Soft, Soft, Normal (Medium Firm), Firm and Extra Firm.
The difference is the additional adjustment available on the pump itself.
| Pump | Clinician Login adjustment | Additional bedside adjustment | Total comfort choices |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP10AU | Five firmness settings | No additional on-pump comfort levels | 5 settings |
| EP20AU | Five firmness bands | Five levels within the selected band | 25 setting combinations |
The EP20AU combines five clinician-selected bands with five bedside levels. That gives 5 × 5 = 25 comfort-setting combinations.
Understanding the EP20AU’s five bedside levels
Imagine the clinician has selected Normal, the default middle band.
Within that band, level 1 provides its lowest pressure setting. Level 3 is the middle setting and the default bedside selection. Level 5 provides the highest pressure setting within that same band.
All five levels remain within the clinician-selected range. Selecting level 5 does not change the band to Extra Firm. Changing the band through Clinician Login changes the range behind those bedside levels.
The clinician selects the range. The bedside control allows finer adjustment within it.
Why change the firmness band?
A client may find the mattress too firm, even at bedside level 1. The clinician can assess whether a softer band would better suit their needs.
Another client may require more support. The decision should consider body size, weight, posture, skin response and comfort. Clinical advice should guide pressure adjustments. The softest setting is not automatically the most appropriate.
Mattress Mode: Understanding 1-in-2 and 1-in-4
Cell configuration describes the pattern of pressure changes. The alternating pattern describes which groups of cells change pressure together.
1-in-2: Half the alternating cells support while half reduce pressure
In a 1-in-2 pattern, the alternating cells form two interleaved groups. One group maintains supporting pressure while the other enters its lower-pressure phase. The groups then exchange roles.
During each established phase, 50% of the alternating cells maintain supporting pressure. The other 50% are in the lower-pressure relief phase.
1-in-4: Three groups support while one reduces pressure
In a 1-in-4 pattern, the alternating cells form four interleaved groups. Three groups maintain supporting pressure while one enters its lower-pressure phase. Each group takes its turn.
During each established phase, 75% of the alternating cells maintain supporting pressure. The remaining 25% are in the lower-pressure relief phase.
| Alternating pattern | Alternating cells at supporting pressure | Alternating cells in the lower-pressure relief phase |
|---|---|---|
| 1-in-2 | 50% | 50% |
| 1-in-4 | 75% | 25% |
Why might a clinician change the pattern?
With more cells maintaining support, 1-in-4 may feel steadier to some clients. This may help someone who notices mattress movement while settling or sleeping. By comparison, 1-in-2 places more alternating cells into the lower-pressure phase simultaneously.
Neither percentage, by itself, demonstrates better pressure injury prevention. Clinical assessment should guide selection, alongside skin response, support needs and comfort.
The E700 with the EP20AU supports configurable 1-in-4 and 1-in-2 operation. Not every mattress supports both patterns. Available options depend on the connected system.
LED Intensity: Make the Bedside Less Intrusive
Clinician Login allows the pump’s control-panel lights to be dimmed.
For a client bothered by bedside light, this offers a practical comfort adjustment. Ask whether the indicators distract them when settling or waking overnight.
The aim is less intrusive lighting, not indicators that carers struggle to see. Check visibility in the actual care environment after making the adjustment.
Audio Volume: Quieter Routine Sounds, With Alarms Preserved
Clinician Login can reduce the volume of button tones and minor alerts. This volume adjustment leaves safety alarms at full volume.
A client may find routine button sounds intrusive during evening care. Reducing those sounds can make interactions less distracting.
This setting is separate from the pump’s alarm-mute function. Lowering routine audio does not resolve a fault or remove the need to respond. Follow the Instructions for Use whenever an alert occurs.
Listen. Adjust. Review.
Start with the person’s experience, then assess what needs to change.
Ask about sleep, surface firmness and the sensation of movement. Explain the proposed adjustment and what the client might notice. Record the setting, clinical reasoning and review plan.
Continue checking comfort, support and skin response. Reassess when the client’s condition or preferences change. An alternating mattress does not replace an individual repositioning plan or ongoing assessment.
Personalisation is not about changing every setting. It is about making the right adjustment, for a clear reason.
Simple Care. Meaningful Choice.
Elata® Clinician Login brings clinical control closer to the person’s everyday experience. Pressure settings, movement, lights and sound can all become part of that conversation.
Need support with Clinician Login?
Speak with Enable Lifecare about access, supported settings and training.
Precision in Care, Built for Life.
