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4 Accessories Every Healthcare Facility Needs

If you work in a medical facility, you know how important the right furniture is to the operation and sanitation of the building. When it comes to spaces where healthcare is being provided, everything needs to be cleanable and safe for patients, guests, and care providers. Although choosing the right furniture for your healthcare facility is crucial, equipping the space with the right accessories is just as vital to ensure you’re creating a space for healing. Healthcare accessories from NBF include 4 major groups: accessories for facility protection, waste receptacles, infection control solutions, and information boards.

1. Facility Protection Accessories

Accessories for facility protection reduce the likelihood of a healthcare facility succumbing to damage caused by regular use. Wall protectors, corner guards, and rails will protect a wall if a hospital bed, wheelchair, or laptop cart crashes into it. Not only does this save the facility from constantly making repairs to the building, but it is also a safety concern. Cracks and scratches in walls and furniture can harbor harmful germs and pathogens that are difficult to clean, thus increasing the likelihood of patient illness and the chance that the facility could be shut down for violating health codes.

2. Waste Receptacles

Waste receptacles for a medical facility must adhere to much stricter standards than those a business office can use. Standard waste receptacles are typically made of stainless steel, which is easy to clean and can even be washed with medical-grade cleaning agents. Most medical waste bins also feature a step-on open mechanism that allows care providers to open the lid without needing to touch the unit, further preventing the spread of potentially harmful pathogens.

 

You will notice two specific types of medical waste bins in a healthcare facility that are red. They are brightly colored to signify that only certain materials can go in them. 

 

  1. Biohazards: These bins are usually metal or plastic and feature a step-on opening. Biohazard waste receptacles must be leakproof. 

  2. Sharps: These waste bins are for needles and other sharp objects.

 

3. Infection Control Solutions

This category of healthcare accessories is obvious. Infection control in a space where potentially harmful germs constantly come in and out can be tough, and that’s why medical facilities must take every precaution to stay on top of it. Infection control solutions include accessories such as sanitizer units, hand hygiene shelves, and infection control centers that include gloves and masks. Having these supplies available will keep the spread of infection at bay, keeping everyone in your facility as healthy and safe as possible.

 

4. Information Boards

 Information boards can be as simple as a basic whiteboard or as complex as interactive boards with pain charts and hospital branding. Information boards help relay communications between patients, families, and caregivers, ensuring everyone is on the same page. These boards often include daily goals, which can aid in the recovery process.

 

When selecting the right information board for your facility, be sure to put cleanability at the forefront of your mind. Glass boards are the easiest to clean completely, and you can erase even permanent markers from this type of surface.

 

More From NBF

Healthcare Settings and Wooden Furniture

Healthcare design is moving away from the cold and sterile rooms most often associated with the industry. Instead, facilities are trying to find new ways to incorporate design elements that are welcoming and warm to make patients and their visiting family members and friends as comfortable as possible. It’s a trend that is sure to further improve healthcare facilities and shift furniture demand.

An easy way to incorporate more charm is by adding calming yet warm colors and wood tones to the room. Solid wood furniture, however, is not always the best option for healthcare settings due to its porous nature.

On the other hand, these laminate wood options provide the look and warmth of wood combined with a nonporous construction that is easy to clean and disinfect in demanding healthecare environments.

Behavioral Health Four-Drawer Dresser

Specifically designed for the behavioral healthcare market, this Behavioral Health Four-Drawer Dresser provides safety and peace of mind for your staff and patients. Made out of high-pressure laminate, this storage solution also offers patients a place to store personal items, therefore encouraging a clean and neat environment. This patient storage also provides a warm, cheerful look that will brighten any healthcare facility.

Café au Lait Oversized Stools and Round Bar-Height Table Set

Lunch rooms are also a vital part of most healthcare facilities. This Café au Lait Oversized Stools and 30” Round Bar Height Table Set features antimicrobial vinyl upholstery, steel frames, laminate backs, and laminate surfaces. This makes cleaning a breeze—a feature especially necessary in a cafeteria setting where messes are apt to happen. The many different color options are cheerful and bright, helping create a comfortable and relaxing dining experience for patients and guests.

Healthcare Brand Spotlight: Stance

If you’re in the market to furnish a medical waiting room, patient room or behavioral health facility, Stance Healthcare is your ticket to expertly crafted healthcare furniture in beautiful residential designs. Stance was founded as a healthcare furniture manufacturer, and it remains as such today, combining style and substance in a way that few other healthcare manufacturers have managed to do. Read on to learn why we at NBF consider Stance Healthcare to be one of our most unique brands.

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