Bedside carts offer easy access to materials without leaving the patient's side. As healthcare has and continues to evolve, needs change, as have bedside medical carts. What were once practical storage solutions are now sophisticated, tech-compatible tools that improve the healthcare experience for patients and staff alike.
However, because bedside carts have evolved and come in various styles and materials, it can be hard to find the best option. To provide the best care possible, having the right features on your bedside cart is essential.
To help ease your decision-making process, we have outlined three of the most important features to look for when choosing the best hospital bedside cart. Here are our tips for choosing the ideal bedside cart that meets and exceeds your facility’s needs.
1) Cleanliness
One of the most important attributes to consider when choosing a bedside cart is its cleanability.
Carts placed so closely to the patient's bedside must remain clean. The state of that bedside cart is a direct reflection of the hospital and can leave a negative impression if it’s in bad condition. That is why Metro's carts are checked for clean design attributes.
Your carts should be able to stand the test of time and heavy use without rusting, scratching, or having paint chip off the sides. Here are some design characteristics that ensure you are working with a cart built for cleaning:
Polymer
Polymer bedside carts provide an easy-to-clean surface to help maintain a sterile environment. Polymer carts are also corrosion-resistant and chip-resistant, making them the obvious aesthetic choice.
Antimicrobials
A clean environment is critical for creating the ideal bedside hospital cart, so choosing the cleanest option is essential. For an added layer of protection, Metro carts with Microban antimicrobial protection helps keep the product cleaner between routine cleanings.
Casters
Proper medical-grade casters are imperative to allow the carts to move swiftly throughout the facility. To keep carts from moving while bedside, the casters should also have breaks. With Metro carts, you can customize your product with a variety of casters to meet your needs.
2) Footprint
Your cart needs to function properly and to do so, everything must fit on it. Therefore, knowing what you need your cart to accomplish when it comes to space is important. Larger carts offer more space to work, so they would be best for facilities that require extra workstations. For facilities with limited space, however, a small footprint is best.
Here is another aspect to consider when looking at the size and footprint of your bedside medical cart:
Portability
Proper medical-grade casters are important when a cart needs to be moved from the bedside. When the cart is in place, casters should also have well-functioning locks to stabilize the cart to provide a stationary workstation.
3) Configurable
It is important that your chosen bedside cart works for you. Therefore, cart configuration and flexibility are important. You shouldn’t have to adapt your facility’s needs to meet the functionality of the cart. Instead, look for a cart with features that meet your demands. Metro carts are configurable to meet the unique needs of your hospital or healthcare facility.
Here are some possible configurations to consider:
Security
Sometimes, bedside carts are required to hold controlled substances. In these situations, arts with a double-locking feature provide the protection needed. Metro offers this form of security with an Advanced LCD Touchpad security system on Flexline models.
Technology
If you need access to technology, make sure you are looking for a cart with a proper keyboard tray. Other accessories you can look into to help accommodate technology include monitor arms and power supplies.
Accessories
Don't skimp on additional accessories. To create more storage space, you can incorporate items like tilt bins to help add storage without taking up extra space. Other additions include sharps containers, glove box holders, and many more. Be sure to do your research or bring in professionals to determine which accessories your team needs.
Organization
- Dividers and Labels: These optional accessories are a great way to keep supplies separated, making materials easier to grab. In addition, external labels make it easy for clinicians to identify what is in the drawers without needing to look in multiple drawers to find what they need.
- Drawer Pull Color Distinctions: You can customize carts for easy identification with different color drawer pulls. You can use drawer pull colors to identify the cart as a bedside cart or show the area where the cart belongs.
Find the Right Bedside Cart for Your Healthcare Facility
Providing the best possible care to patients requires the right tools as supplies. Choosing the right bedside cart can increase the efficiency and quality of your healthcare services.
At Metro, we offer a wide range of quality bedside carts designed with cleanliness, footprint, and configurability in mind. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your old and outdated carts or outfit a new facility, we have the solutions to meet your needs.
For more information on all our bedside cart options, visit our website.