With the use of medical computer carts, nursing jobs are becoming easier. Nurses often work long, hard hours. In many cases, they are working 12-hour shifts with a large patient load. Keeping track of the healthcare needs of multiple patients can take a toll on a nurse. When nurses are over worked, mistakes can be made. Mistakes happen, but when your role is taking care of people in compromised health situations, a mistake can cost someone their life.
1. The Old Way: Too Much Room for Error
Before the use of medical computer carts, nurses had to chart and enter medication administration by hand. The charting of a patient’s progress would go into their chart that was located at the nurse’s station. Their MAR (medical administration record) was located on the medication cart. These carts were heavy and hard to push because they included all the medication the nurse would need to administer each day, plus all the supplies they needed to care for patients.
When a doctor saw a patient, he or she would write the medication, they were prescribing into the “Doctor’s Orders” section of the chart. It was then the nurse’s responsibility to inform the pharmacist that there was a new order. The pharmacy would then fill the order and bring the medication to the floor and put it in the medication cart so that the nurse could give the medication to the patient.
According to The American Journal of Nursing, medication errors are the most common type of medical errors. These errors occurred more in the past because there were multiple instances where an error could occur. To prevent medication errors, there needed to be a better way to prevent a breakdown of communication.
2. The New Way: Preventing Errors
Because the old way of medication administration resulted in too many errors, the use of medical computer carts has become more popular in hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities. These medical carts on wheels make the process of medication administration and charting much easier for nurses and the rest of the medical team.
3. What Are Medical Computer Charts?
Medical computer carts, also known as medical computer carts on wheels (CoWs), are medical carts that can be used by multiple members of a healthcare team. All information, from charting, medication administration, to doctor’s orders can be recorded in one location. There is no more going back and forth from the nurses station, no more calls to the pharmacy, and less room for any miscommunication.
4. Types of Medical Computer Carts
There are three types of medical computer carts to use in medical facilities.
- Custom Carts – Custom carts can be made to fit the specific needs of a healthcare facility. They can include special cameras, customized drawers, specific weight requirements, and extra battery life.
- Medication Carts – Medication carts are lightweight carts on wheels. They come with drawers for medication administration. The drawers have locks on them and can be configured to include user codes to prevent unauthorized use.
- Point of Care Carts – Point of care carts are a great mobile workstation. They can be moved from room to room and have all the patient’s information easily accessible. They also come with drawers for medication and have a long-lasting battery that can last through an entire nursing shift.
No matter what type of medical care cart a facility needs, these carts are a wonderful addition to assist in helping decrease the instances of medical errors or any other type of miscommunication. They allow all patient information to be accessible to the entire health care team, making communication easier. With these carts, the job of a nurse has now become easier and less stressful.
