Your healthcare location can be greatly improved by your choice of wheelchairs. It may sound odd at first, but wheelchairs are a common point of a variety of safety issues, which can undermine the integrity of a healthcare facility.
A number of safety issues can place the staff in danger. Some wheelchairs do not have automatic brake locks and armrests that may be lifted. The latter allows the patient to enter and exit the wheelchair safely, while the former gives rise to more obvious problems. When the staff is required the bend and lift the patient, safety issues may be presented in such ineffective wheelchair designs.
Another major problem surrounding wheelchairs in a healthcare-related setting is theft. This is especially true in larger facilities, or those in which the wheelchairs are out of sight from the staff, generally speaking.
A number of wheelchairs have many features that make is susceptible to theft. Removable parts and foldable wheelchairs are the most common and obvious. These features make it easy to place into a vehicle.
Wheelchairs that do not have removable parts and are not foldable are preferable. These are crucial for facilities in which the wheelchairs are always present. Other security features, such as coin locks and serial numbers, can be effective in discouraging and preventing theft.
If you are in the market for wheelchairs for your healthcare site, take note of these features and areas of consideration. The safety of your staff, the patients, and the point of theft are relevant issues when purchasing wheelchairs. There are of course many other considerations which should be taken into account, such as the materials that are used to promote longevity of the units.
It is important to be aware of these crucial features in your wheelchair purchase. They are all too often overlooked, in which safety, theft, and durability issues are seen prominently in healthcare settings.
