Ideas That Work: Ergonomic Efficiency

We purchased four rolling desks that are used in our pre-op/PACU area. Staff like the adjustable surface, which lets them sit or stand while working. Each desk has plenty of storage space and a shelf where staff often keep patients’ charts for easy access at the bedside. These sleek desks are more aestheti-cally pleasing than the traditional computers on wheels (COW) and they don’t take up a lot of space, which makes it easy to keep one at each patient bay. We also bought desks for use in the ORs, where circulating nurses use the mobile workspaces to move around the OR as they complete implant logs and other paperwork. They like that they can lower the surfaces to sit while they work during long cases. We found out that the circulators had trouble completing paperwork when the OR lights are dimmed during arthroscopic cases, so we found small, clip-on light sources that work off a laptop’s USB power supply. The mobile desks have definitely been game-changing, inexpensive and staff-pleasing additions to our facility.

Emily Lupoli, RN, BSN
Barbour Orthopaedics Surgery Center
Atlanta, Ga.
[email protected]