Tools to Make Your Healthcare Job Easier
The tools don’t always make the professional, but they can certainly make a medical professional’s job easier. If work-provided implements just aren’t cutting it, here’s some hardware that’ll make you wonder how you ever did without.
Pens — No, Really
Low-tech? Maybe. Simple? Certainly. But never again having to scramble in search of a pen while a patient languishes in the exam room? That’s worth the price of admission alone.
Wholesale retailers like Sam’s Club and Costco carry business-sized packs of high-end pens at surprisingly low costs, so that “price” doesn’t have to cut too deep into your gadget budget.
More Than Just a Clipboard
Regardless of whether your office has converted to digital charting and note-taking tools like tablets, it’s fair to assume the humble clipboard still plays a critical role. And while holding your papers in place is certainly a useful task, these tools can make your daily routine easier in other ways, too.
Take White Coat Clipboard. These much-loved paper-holders come built for HIPAA compliance, with multiple models that provide specific info in fields such as pediatrics, anesthesia, and nursing. The unique design protects patient privacy and allows medical professionals to carry multiple documents without folding or creasing the paper.
If quick math is more in line with your needs, several other clipboard brands boast built-in calculators, which is a big help when it comes to the endless numbers most medical professionals crunch on a daily basis.
Clip-on Tools
That name badge on your chest isn’t just a security measure. With the right tools, it can also be one of the most useful parts of your work uniform. Many badge reels come with built-on, extra-bright LED lights, making them perfect penlight replacements in a pinch. Some even have small, upside-down clocks built into the front face to assist in taking vitals, while others function as full-featured pedometers. (That last addition won’t necessarily make the job easier, but who hasn’t wondered just how many steps they take in a given shift?)
In other words: If you’re only using your badge holder to hold your badge, prepare to have your mind blown.
Wear-All-Day Shoes
Gone are the days when Crocs ruled exam rooms and hospital hallways. Today, clogs designed for medical professionals are stylish and comfortable, with brands such as Dansko and Sanita drawing high praise from doctors, nurses, and other people who need to be on their feet for long shifts.
If the clog look isn’t your jam, however, consider a good pair of sneakers. A rep at a running or sports store will be able to tell you the most popular styles and brands among medical pros and help you find a pair that perfectly fits your feet.
Compression socks can also be a big boon here, with professionals of all practices swearing by their comfort and soreness-stopping ability. Problems like plantar fasciitis can detract from your comfort and mobility, and that doesn’t help anybody.
As the old saying goes, you never want to scrimp on anything that comes between you and the ground!
Undergarments That Fix Your Posture
Of course, foot problems are far from the only musculoskeletal issues that arise as a result of medical work. Physicians in particular see a disproportionate number of neck and lower-back injuries, according to the National Institutes of Health, and on-the-job posture undoubtedly plays a big role.
As with athletic shoes and socks, upper-body compression products designed for athletes also get rave reviews in the medical community. IntelliSkin “steathwear,” for instance, can promote healthy posture in secret by fixing alignment issues and other problems from beneath your lab coat or scrubs.
You may not be able to prevent all work-related soreness, but the adjustments you can make often have big benefits. With so much else on your mind, a product that pays attention to posture for you can make work a much more comfortable affair.
Work Smart
While you don’t need to report to work decked out like a superhero, augmenting your current processes with a few smart additions can improve the quality of your work and your care with minimal extra effort.
These enhancements make your comfort a primary focus. In a set of professions full of long hours and demanding tasks, those points alone make a compelling case for adding a few extra tools to your workbench.
Do you have a gadget or tool you can’t leave for work without? Tell us about it in the comments, or tweet us @bartonlocums.
