The Best Healthcare Furniture for Emergency Departments
Finding patient room furniture that fits your healthcare space can be a hassle, but emergency rooms are a beast all their own. In everyday spaces where patients are being taken in for check-ups or common examinations, the pieces need to be cleanable, durable and hygienic; but there isn’t much need to go beyond those basic principles.
Once you enter an emergency room, the stakes rise. Individuals are constantly being moved with very little down time and you never know how many people you will be serving moment-to-moment.
For individuals seeking emergency care, it can often be unexpected. Secure furniture not only allows staff to provide the best possible care, but it also allows patients to feel as comfortable as possible in situations where panic may be high.
As stated by St. George’s University School of Medicine, “Working in the ED is anything but predictable. As much as medical school will equip you with the knowledge needed to diagnose and treat patients, it can’t prepare you for the high stakes nature of the job.”
At Shield, we know that stress can be a detractor in patient care which is why we create products that last a lifetime. Keeping furniture for years means care teams will have their routines down pat and feel confident in their ability to care for any patient that comes their way.
Different Needs of Emergency Departments
Within emergency departments space is one of the first considerations for designers. Doctors don’t know how many people will be coming in or out, which means the department must be created in such a way that allows space to be maximized.
For emergency departments specifically, maximizing space means focusing on a few pinpoint priorities.
- Line of Sight. In a space where people are constantly coming in and out, it is important for care teams to know where they are leading a patient and then get there quickly. If ED furniture is slow to close or needs to have heavy interaction from a staff member that means there is more opportunity for hallway blockage or accidents.
- Efficiency. When there are multiple patients to see in a day, you can’t be spending more time than is necessary messing with storage. Finding furniture that allows for quick use means that there will be less searching for what a patient needs and more time providing them what they need.
- Room Design. Without furniture there would be an empty patient room. The furniture is what makes a space functional to a patient and therefore, the furniture needs to work for the space and not against it.
Emergency Department Furniture + Med Storage
At Shield we create standard patient room furniture that is ideal for any healthcare setting, but we have a few considerations specifically for emergency departments.
The Nurse Server/The Other Nurse Server
Our Nurse Server’s are created to serve not only as a means for movement of patient necessities, but also as primary PPE storage.
The Nurse Server is a front-to-back style product where necessities are placed on shelves and can be taken in or out. Both styles come with a linen cart pull-through designed to provide easy removal or providing of patient clothing.
The Other Nurse Server is a front-to-side style product, which allows for the doubling of PPE storage. With this product you can find anything that is needed for you or your patients all behind a self-close door that allows for ease of use.
The Overbed Table
Patients need an area for their personal items that they know is just within their reach. With an inverted column for infection control, an <3” ground clearance and an adjustable height of 30”-46” staff members can know that whatever patient finds themselves in the room will be able to quickly place their items down and be given what they need with ease.
The PPE Cabinet
Though The Other Nurse Server does serve as PPE storage, having a separate space specifically for protective equipment means the possibility of contamination decreases and that staff members will consistently have their own stash.
With The PPE Cabinet being an in-wall design, there is no need to search to find specific protection and less likelihood of hallway collisions.
Medical Storage
Though patients are the main focus of an emergency department, having places to store supplies that are cleanable, microbial resistant and seamless is incredibly important in keeping a healthcare environment safe.
Being fabricated out of acrylic solid surface, our casework holds up against bacteria as well as physical abuse.
Do you have a design project that you think would be well-suited for acrylic solid surface?
Contact Shield to learn more about our custom design services or visit our products page for more information.