Don't Underestimate The Every Day Impact Of Cart Ergonomics

Hospital administrators are tasked with finding and purchasing the best equipment and technology in the market to complement the care provided by physicians and nurses. This equipment must be efficient, safe and cost effective. A major component of state of the art medical environments is the technology which integrates all aspects of patient care. Mobile computer carts, along with Healthcare Information Systems (HIS), can track patient history, allergies, current medications, treatment plans and treatment notes. These stations have become extremely popular as they provide nurses, doctors and administrators with access to patient information which is instantly updated and maintained.

This paper explains ergonomic considerations for

• Maneuverability
• Work surfaces and platform requirements
• Monitor configurations
• Keyboards and mice
• Power supply
• Hygienic healthcare concerns
• Seating considerations

There are a large variety of carts on the markets. These carts vary in size, shape, features and cost. Evaluating the carts may take some time in manual research of specifications and consultation with your information technology department. These consultations will narrow down the carts that you are considering but they shouldn't be the determining factor. Buy a cart or schedule a trial period with the vendor. Have your personnel test the cart. If the trial is not successful you can work with vendors in order to test a separate configuration. The carts you buy will be the ones that work best for your bottom line and the safety of your staff and patient