3 Tips to Transport Medical Supplies Safely Around the Hospital

Hospitals are busy places. With staff, patients, and visitors moving around, it can be difficult to maneuver safely. This can be even more difficult when you are in charge of moving medical supplies from ward to ward. Carrying boxes of stock or steering equipment on wheels often needs sufficient room and a clear view, and this isn’t always available in a hectic hospital.

Although there are guidelines on how to correctly store medical supplies, how to transport them around the hospital is not widely discussed. This post has outlined three of the main tips to ensure medical supplies are transported around the hospital safely.

Inspect Supplies Before Loading
The supplies that will be transported should be inspected carefully before they are loaded. Depending on the type of medical supply being moved, you might be looking for dirt, discoloration, holes, and other signs of wear and tear. If the supplies and/or equipment show signs of these, the item might need to be reprocessed and disposed of.

Inspections can also confirm the quantity of the medical supplies. Each ward might require a specific number of medical supplies, especially if medication is included, to meet the needs of staff and patients. Similarly, the expiration dates should also be checked before loading the supplies and equipment to be moved.

All inspections should be completed with the utmost care to avoid damaging any of the supplies.

Use Hospital Carts
Hospital carts, like InnerSpace hospital carts, have been designed specifically for storing and transporting medical supplies around the building. These carts should be safe for those using them and the supplies that are stored within; they should not cause any damage. The carts will also require fitted covers to make sure the surfaces and contents remain clean. Similarly, these covers can ensure the contents remain inside the cart, especially if they are dirty.

Maintaining the hospital carts should also be a priority. A cleaning schedule should be created in the wards that have carts for transporting supplies. This should see all carts cleaned, disinfected, and dried before they are used again. To ensure hospital carts are cleaned easily, the hospital should use ones with rounded corners; non-rounded corners will be tougher to keep clean.

Stack Items Carefully
When it is time to load the supplies and equipment in the hospital carts, there are certain instructions to follow. These instructions will keep the supplies safe as well as the person who is pushing the cart. Firstly, avoid stacking heavy items on top of light or soft supplies. If lighter items are stacked under heavy objects, this could result in supplies being dented and even broken.

The next rule to follow is not to overload the cart. Too many items could cause damage items in a similar way to stacking heavier items on top of light items, or it could result in objects falling off of the hospital cart. This could be incredibly dangerous, especially if some of the supplies are liquids.

By following the three tips listed in this post, you will be able to move medical supplies and equipment around the hospital without an issue.