Administrators of hospitals, clinics, rehab centers, and extended care facilities recognize the need for having sturdy and durable transport chairs available for their patients. Depending on the size of the facility, supplying enough hospital transport chairs can run into thousands of dollars annually. Here are some guidelines for choosing a hospital transport chair that may save your facility a lot of money.
- A hospital transport chair should be strong and durable.
Most standard wheelchairs have a weight capacity of 250 pounds. Transport chairs can carry a load of 500 pounds, which will allow for heavy medical equipment to be carried along with the patient.
- A hospital transport chair should not have removable parts.
Standard wheelchairs have footrests that can be removed to allow the patient to stand up, pedal, and to collapse smaller to fit into vehicles.
Some have removable armrests to allow the chair to fit under tables, or to be out of the way when doing a side transfer. The problem with removable parts, is that they often get lost or misplaced and are awkward to remove.
A transport chair has no removable parts. The armrest swings up and back for side transfers, and the footrests are designed to be out of the way when the patient stands.
- A hospital transport chair should be rigid.
Personal wheelchairs that travel with patients need to fold up to fit into vehicles. However, a transport chair is designed to be pushed by an attendant; therefore, the chair seat and back may be of solid construction with padded cushions to make the chair more comfortable.
- A hospital transport chair should be space saving.
Wheelchairs take up a great deal of floor space, especially in areas where there are many unoccupied chairs, such as at entrances. These chairs are designed to nest behind each other like grocery carts. This takes up less floor space, and a chair stand can keep your extra chairs handy and uncluttered.
- A hospital transport chair should be easy to push.
Attendants and nurses spend a lot of their day pushing patients in wheelchairs. Standard wheelchairs with the large rear wheel are designed for patients to push themselves. They are built low to the ground to allow patients to pedal with their feet if desired. They are built for a different purpose than patient transporting by an attendant.
Attendants need transport chairs that are ergonomically Transport chairs have a higher push bar in the back, rather than two handles. The bar allows an attendant to push with one hand while using the other to carry something or open doors.
Attendants report how easy these chairs roll and maneuver with their smaller wheels and wheelbase.
- A hospital transport chair should be safe.
Transport chairs have an automatic brake system that engages when the push bar is released, so there is no need to remember to set the brake.
Transport Chairs are the best choice for a hospital transport chair fleet.
Author Resource:-
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