Patient care cart

[RN297]

We are going to be starting a patient care/concierge cart for our hospital that will be passed to patient's daily by one of our CNA's to help improve patient satisfaction. We will have: lip balm, tissues, ear plugs, hand sanitizer, wash cloths, bottled water, toothbrushes, toothpaste,mouthwash, deoderant, no fall socks, combs, razors, shaving cream, gum, mints, prayer cards etc. I am looking for ideas for other items that your hospital provides or any advice that you have. Thank you!

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

If it's not a religious hospital, I would leave out the prayer cards.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

rinseless shampoo, deck of playing cards,long distance phone cards so they can call loved ones (you may just want to give these out if you are trying to make amends (that is what we did) a single flower such as a carnation to brighten their mood,nice body or hand lotion,small headsets so they can listen to music or movies on their phones,offer to assist them in plugging in their phone to charge it up (I do this a lot),offer to assist them in placing a call ( I do this a lot too). It is not just physical items that patients need and appreciate it is the little things such as assisting them with making a phone call.

I do not like the idea of gum as I often find medicated patients falling asleep with it in their mouths. If they bring it in..OK you have no control but why pass it out..just my opinion.

[Clovery]

Flushable "wet wipes" for the bathroom. Hospital toilet paper is always cheap, thin and falls apart.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Flushable "wet wipes" for the bathroom. Hospital toilet paper is always cheap, thin and falls apart.

Be careful and check with maintenance first as these are known to clog toilets. Perhaps wet wipes and a small covered trash can near the toilet.

[Bezoars]

Sounds like a great idea, but hopefully someone has their sights on the cart at all times... where I work, the whole thing would be pilfered in a hearbeat.

[SeattleJess]

Note pad and pencil set? I brought one from my mother when she was in the eldercare unit with pneumonia for a few days and it was helpful for her with remembering items to tell providers, things the nurses told her, or just to make "to do" lists for when she got out.

I agree that the cart would be improved by prayer cards and gum.

Creative idea and I hope it goes well.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Definitely second the playing cards... Crossword puzzles, Sudoku and other pencil & paper amusements are also a good idea. Patients & families who are engaged in other activities are less likely to camp on the call bell due to boredom.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Make the mints sugar-free, or all your diabetics will start spiking right after the hospitality cart passes through-- and make sure the people who push the carts know what the NPO sign over the bed means. Or maybe don't have anything that can be eaten on there at all.

Since I mention it, have them watch out for the folks that EAT razors, etc.

And make sure the budget is there for replacement for all of it-- the cards, the Sudoku books, etc., since they will all walk.

Our pink ladies used to have a book cart-- people would donate hard- and paper-cover books for people to read. Maybe a few of those would be nice.

[ICURN3020]

Cheap eye covering masks to block out the 24-hr lights?

[amoLucia]

I'm confused. Are these freebies? A lot of them sound like they should be part of the floor stock of things that get given out FREE

to pts on admission or as needed (like anti-skid socks). Or don't they give these things out at hosps anmore?

Maybe it's just me, but I see abuse by greedy pts (like how many anti-skid socks are needed or how many lip balms?) Well, let's get some for all the grand-kiddos ...

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Fentanyl pops, that'll make 'em happy.