Why hospital whiteboards are vital - Exploring 5 key functions
Hospital whiteboards or patient boards are commonly used in patient rooms. They play a crucial role in care plans and enhance communication with patients. However, their use extends beyond bedside communication. These healthcare-focused whiteboards offer diverse applications that help providers and staff collaborate seamlessly. Let’s explore the practical uses of hospital whiteboards.
Scheduling and Monitoring
- In hospitals, whiteboards are frequently used in behind-the-scenes efforts to schedule and monitor tasks in various departments, such as surgical areas, emergency rooms, and birthing centers.
With customizable fields and the simplicity of name swapping within timeslots and rooms, whiteboards prove to be a practical solution for tracking patient movements across the facility. They are installed in centralized locations away from public view to securely display patient information while remaining readily accessible to doctors, nurses, and other members of the care team.
Bed Availability and Admission Status
- Custom hospital whiteboards can be specifically customized for hospital admissions, providing an efficient means to monitor room and bed availability. Despite the prevalence of computer systems for this function, admissions directors and staff often find whiteboards to be valuable tools.
During fast-paced situations, referring to a strategically positioned whiteboard is considerably more convenient than locating a computer and navigating software to identify available beds within a facility.
Tracking of Lab Results
- With its diverse range of testing statuses, evaluations, schedules, and more, a hospital laboratory is an ideal setting for whiteboards. Given the extensive information to track regarding lab results, effective organization is crucial to prevent potential mishaps resulting from information crossover between patients.
Whiteboards serve as functional tools for facilities to maintain organization and efficiency in tracking all activities within the laboratory to enhance patient care.
Simplifying Organization at Nurses’ Stations
- Given the extensive utilization of whiteboards, nurses are unsurprisingly the primary users of these tools in hospitals. Therefore, nurses' stations are one of the idea locations outside of patient rooms to install whiteboards. These boards assist nurses in tracking patient whereabouts, schedules, allergies, fall risks, and various other critical information. Whiteboards can significantly enhance nurses' efficiency, alleviate their stress, and foster greater organization throughout the day.
However, not all whiteboards offer the same benefits, as their quality can vary. To optimize efficiency, whiteboards at nurses’ stations must be user-friendly and easy to maintain. This ensures that nurses can conveniently navigate through their tasks without the need for extensive cleaning. Moreover, easy-to-clean whiteboards are imperative for HIPAA compliance, as the presence of ghosted or faded patient names on publicly visible boards may violate privacy laws. Therefore, it is advisable to opt for customized patient boards from reputable companies.
Enhancing Efficiency in Office Space
Whiteboards are used in various office settings within hospitals, from general office spaces to conference rooms and executive boardrooms. The option for custom colors and branding enables the seamless integration of whiteboards into any office within the facility, aligning perfectly with the facility's brand.
Tips to Consider:
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Excessive clutter must be avoided by carefully selecting the content to be displayed to ensure patient communication boards remain user-friendly. Position the board directly within the intended users' line of sight for maximum effectiveness.
Consider:
- Does it convey important information related to patient locations?
- Does it facilitate tracking of results and prevent information crossover between patients?
- Does it align with the branding and aesthetics of the office space, ensuring a cohesive look throughout the facility?
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