Maybe you already own a mobile computer cart or are considering buying one for the first time. An owner of a mobile unit wants to maximize its usefulness in their medical environment, whereas a potential buyer wants to know why they should invest in a workstation on wheels.
It’s essential to know the features and benefits a mobile medical cart brings to a healthcare facility. Hospitals and clinics invest a great deal of money employing and training high-quality staff; it makes good practical and business sense to do the same for medical equipment.
Staff are more effective and efficient when given the right tools to do their jobs. The quality of patient care improves, and professional standards increase.
The Basics
Mobile workstations, mobile computer carts, workstation on wheels, a laptop cart on wheels; these are all names for the same unit which provide a glimpse into the versatility of this sophisticated piece of equipment. Mobile workstations carry computers which are internet-enabled and linked to the central hospital computer records. Data is accessible to the user at all times.
The professional has plenty of medical equipment with them as the cart is large enough to carry devices to measure vital signs, infection control materials, pharmaceuticals and other goods the user may need when on their rounds.
Equipment designed to have so many uses, can be adequate at many tasks but not outstanding at any particular one. This is not the case when it comes to the mobile medical cart.
Each design feature can stand alone, and users can choose which features suit their needs. Before and after purchase, an owner can modify a unit, allowing the user to adapt the features to achieve the most benefit for their situation.
Secure Storage for Sensitive Materials
Safety is paramount in a clinical setting. Pharmaceuticals, sharps, and even bloody gloves could cause long-term illness or even death.
The user can equip the cart with biometric locks, which will only give access to a member of staff who is carrying the correct authorization card. Proximity scanners ensure the drawers will only open when that colleague is at the cart. When removing medicines, the physician scans the drug with a barcode wand.
The system on the cart creates an encrypted electronic record to show which physician removed the medicine and which patient received the drug. During an audit, records provide a transparent method of proving the physician adheres to regulations regarding the management and dispensing of pharmaceuticals.
Sharps can also be kept in these drawers. Only the authorized personnel can access the unit. When required, the physician removes the equipment from the mobile cart and attends to their patient.
After use, the needles are contaminated and require safe storage. The professional can put the sharp in a secure container, which keeps all infected and dangerous materials away from unauthorized staff and patients.
Improved Workflow
Mobile workstations save space; central banks of computers require large desk spaces and attract many staff. Colleagues may have to wait while another member of the team is looking up a patient’s file.
The area is crowded, and the staff are unable to use their time efficiently. Mobile workstations can clear space by allowing the user to take it with them on their ward rounds.
The physician can quickly access information at the point of care. Also, professionals can easily remove the laptop from the cart and wall-mount it; an especially convenient feature for an area where there is high footfall, such as a reception area.
The cart’s mobility allows a user to transport it to any part of a healthcare facility. The wheels enable the user to move the essential kit around a facility, and to leave it stationed there for future use.
Should they wish, a physician can have a mobile workstation placed at the entrance to their ward. Whether on routine rounds or in an emergency, they can collect the cart on the way to their patient.
This enables the medical professional to access all the patient data, measure vital signs and use specialist medical devices which are on the cart.
Reduce the Spread of Infection
In a hospital setting, infection control policies cover administrative staff, sub-contractors, and anyone who enters a ward. Medical professionals who attend patients may come in contact with others, and this is especially the case in areas where computers and equipment are kept.
A physician who enters a central area, perhaps to look up patient information on a computer, or to obtain devices such as blood-pressure monitors or syringes, can potentially pick up an infection from colleagues.
In a process known as infection transference, the contagion travels from one person or surface to another. A medical professional who is continuously in and out of these areas could transfer the infection to their patients.
At Scott-Clark Medical, we can coat your medical carts with an antimicrobial covering, minimizing the risk of a user transferring an infection onto the unit. A physician can load the cart with the materials they need for their infection control procedures; disinfectant wipes or sprays, gloves, masks and gowns can all be securely stored in the drawers on the unit.
Before attending to any patient, the physician can thoroughly disinfect both the cart and themselves. The professional can then use the safe disposal compartments to secure the contaminated materials.
In Conclusion
Medical professionals can use mobile workstation carts for many tasks; their versatility allows physicians and nurses to deliver efficient, effective and safe patient care.
Healthcare facilities have highly-trained staff, by investing in mobile workstation carts, you are giving them a valuable tool to help deliver high-quality patient care.