TO CART OR NOT TO CART

摘要

As hospitals strive to provide doctors and nurses with better access to clinical information systems at the point of care, they're considering whether to use mobile computer carts or some other hardware option, such as hand-held computers or wall-mounted PCs. Having computing devices in patient rooms was a necessity to support real-time clinical documentation and point-of-care access to patient data. As a safety measure, for instance, nurses had to look up a patients latest vital signs before administering medications. The carts were a single source to hold an all-in-one computer and monitor, scanner, medications and medical supplies, says Carolyn Zsoldos, RN, clinical support specialist at the Wilmington, DE-based delivery system. Carts also are the computing tool of choice for respiratory therapists as they treat patients throughout the Centerpoint Medical Center and Lee's Summit hospitals. These clinicians have lots of equipment, and the carts have lots of places to store all their stuff.