Protecting Your Health in a Hospital Setting

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Wash Your Hands This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how washing your hands often falls off of people’s radar when dealing with the stress of a loved one in the hospital. Following this simple yet important preventative measure will decrease your chances of getting sick as well as decrease the likelihood of you getting others sick.

Get Some Sleep

When you’re able to, catch up on some z’s. This is key to make sure your body is getting the adequate rest it needs and helps to ensure your immune system is running with all systems go. If your loved one is sleeping or out for a test, this is prime time to catch up on some sleep.

Eat Healthy

Sure, comfort food is great in times of stress, but it’s very important to try and maintain healthy eating habits. Consider bringing some fruit and nuts to snack on. If you’re grabbing meals at the hospital cafeteria, opt for healthier options rather than sugar or carb-filled meals. For more health tips and all your medical equipment needs, contact Novum Medical today.

Keeping Families Comfortable in Hospital Settings

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Sleeper Chair SC210/211 and Our Sleep Chair SC310/311

Novum Medical has two sleeper chairs that are ideal for patient rooms and other areas where overnight guests are welcome. Our Sleeper Chair SC210 and our Sleeper Chair SC211 can both provide comfort to the visitors that need it most. The seats also come in a variety of fabric color options, from a soft neutral to a bold blue. The only difference between SC210 and the SC211 is that the SC211 has wooden arm caps.
The difference between the 210 series and the 310 series is that they both offer different sizes. The SC310 and SC311 series offer a larger sleeper surface that is a full adjustable loveseat, leaving enough room for two people which provides a bit more space for guests.
Novum Medical Products provides seamless solutions for all types of healthcare facilities, healthcare designers, and equipment planners.

Demand for Bassinets Continue

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statistics for 2015 shows that 3,978,497 births were registered in the United States.

These numbers are proof of how important it is for medical facilities to have bassinets and cribs that can accommodate the number of babies entering into this world.

On average, hospitals typically use their bassinets for anywhere between 5 to 10 years. Bassinets do experience a lot of wear and tear with babies constantly being put in and taken out of them and transferring the bassinets back and forth from room to room. Between the doctors, clinical staff, and new parents, they are being used constantly and all eventually need to be replaced.

We highly recommend stainless steel bassinets for hospitals who want to get the most out of their bassinets.

These bassinets can withstand the test of time because they are solid stainless steel which does not easily scratch or dent. They are exceptionally easy to clean as well, which is always important in a medical setting. We also suggest going with a polycarbonate basket that sits deep within our bassinet basket well which is ideal for holding the baby in a secure and safe place even if their older brother or sister pulls on the basket to take a peek at their new sibling. It is made of durable polycarbonate that is clear which makes your view of the baby clear as well and can also easily be cleaned. They are a low cost item which makes them easy to replace when needed.

Another necessary item that also needs frequent replacing is the bassinet mattress.

Many hospitals have preferences on how thick they want their mattress pads within their bassinets. We can customize to fit your preferences. Whether you want a memory foam pad, a thicker pad, or a thinner pad, we can accommodate you. We understand how hectic every day can be in the maternity units of a hospital with each new life that is brought into this world. We provide the bassinets that will give you peace of mind in the safety and quality of the equipment you use to allow you to focus on the more important tasks at hand. Visit Novum Medical Products, Inc. for all of the medical equipment you need.

Understanding the Importance of Blanket Warmers

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Reduce Muscle Pain

Have you ever used a heating pad or a warm shower to help relieve you of muscle pains? A heated blanket can serve the same purpose. The heat from the blanket can help loosen muscles and reduce the pain stemming from them. If someone comes in with a pulled muscle, that patient can benefit from a warm blanket until they can provide appropriate relief through medication or otherwise.

Avoid Hypothermia

Some patients, as a result of their medical procedures, experience symptoms of hypothermia. If a patient experiences some kind of complication during a procedure, specifically a surgery, a warm blanket can help reduce hypothermia. Hypothermia can result in cardiac issues, extreme discomfort and more, but a warm blanket is an ideal solution. If you are searching for the right blanket warmer for your facility, check out our blanket warmers and find the one that would be the perfect fit for your medical setting to ensure a pleasant patient experience. For more medical products, visit Novum Medical Products, Inc.

Importance of Well-Furnished Assisted Living Communities

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Purchase Practical Furniture  Having practical furniture in a senior living community is a must. Senior citizens often have major mobility issues and furniture can either help or inhibit them. Assisted living communities should have furniture that can be used safely by seniors. For instance, medical recliners are a great option for senior living communities thanks to their multiple functions and customizable options. They allow seniors to easily get up and down, and they can use the arms of the chair to push themselves up or lower themselves down. They also allow seniors to put up their feet which can allow for better circulation which is an issue for many seniors. You can purchase medical recliners in vibrant patterns and colors that will jazz up a room or a living area.

Present a Home Setting

When shopping for senior living community furniture, follow one rule: If you wouldn’t put it in your own living room, don’t put it into your community. The furniture in an assisted living community should reflect a home-like setting. Moving to a senior living community is something seniors struggle with. They are often leaving the homes they have lived in for decades and admitting that they need assistance which is not easy. It is very important the furniture in your assisted living community is warm and inviting. You want your current seniors, and seniors searching for a community, to feel comfortable, welcomed and confident in their investment of time and money to your facility.

Stellar Dining Experience

Many senior living communities have full dining rooms where the seniors eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. When furnishing a dining room, you should be focused on providing high quality seating that will present well to both guests and residents. Your dining room furniture should be inviting, again, similar to what you’d have in your own dining room. Seniors should be eager to get up to go to the dining room and socialize. If the furniture in your dining room is cold, mismatched, or ragged, your dining room is not going to be appealing as a place to eat and engage with one another. Purchase dining room furniture that is durable and medical-grade so that it’s easy to clean, but that is also pleasing to the eye. When shopping for your assisted living community, keep these three tips in mind so that you can furnish it in the best way possible. If you’re searching for furniture for your healthcare setting, contact Novum Medical to get started.

The Right Furniture Can Help Keep Your Hospitals Clean

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Say “Yes” to Vinyl FurnitureNovum2

Vinyl furniture can be kept exceptionally clean using disinfectant products, making it an ideal fabric for hospital furniture. Vinyl can be easily wiped down, scrubbed, and cleaned with most products. Vinyl also comes in a variety of prints, styles, and colors, so you will not need to compromise the look you desire to keep your hospital up to date. Germs cannot set into the vinyl material in the way they can with cloth furniture. When the vinyl is wiped clean, the germs are wiped away with it. When considering furniture for patient rooms or emergency rooms, vinyl furniture is ideal from chairs to recliners. They can be wiped down with bleach surface wipes without getting ruined or discolored.

Say “Yes” to Stainless Steel Furniture

The Right Furniture Can Help Keep Your Hospitals CleanStainless steel furniture is another popular choice for hospital furniture. Stainless steel can be wiped down with the strongest of cleaning products and not be affected. The harshest of cleaning products will not stain, deteriorate, or rust stainless steel material. Germs cannot set into stainless steel furniture; they will be wiped right off of the surface when cleaned. Stainless steel is also durable and it will last for years in any setting. Consider putting stainless steel bassinets in the maternity ward of your hospital. With many babies going in and out of the bassinets on a daily basis, stainless steel bassinets can withstand heavy traffic, germs, or bodily fluids. Hospitals have strict cleaning protocols to follow but what furniture you fill your hospital with can make cleaning easier. Contact Novum Medical for suggestions on what furniture to fill your hospital with.

New Research Questions Safety of Baby-Friendly Hospitals

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Ten Steps for Successful Breastfeeding, has increased to nearly 17 percent.

If you’re not familiar with the Ten Steps for Successful Breastfeeding, they include the following:

  • Within one hour of birth, health care staff should help mothers begin breastfeeding
  • Mothers aren’t able to use pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding newborns
  • Unless medically required, give newborns no food or drink other than breast milk
  • Require skin-to-skin contact with the mother and infant directly following birth until the first breastfeeding has ended.

These are just a few rules that participating hospitals need to follow to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, according to Healthy Places. Most evidence has found that baby-friendly hospitals are known to be positive for both the mother and child, however, a recent article written and published by select pediatricians in JAMA Pediatrics states that baby-friendly hospitals raise certain areas of concern for both the mothers and their newborns. When the mother and child initially have skin-to-skin contact, they are left unsupervised at this time. XX Factor reports that studies show an increased risk of Sudden Unexpected Postnatal Collapse is associated with the lack of supervision during this time. Pediatricians Joel L. Bass, Tina Gartley and Ronald Kleinman also believe that the ban on pacifiers can confuse infants and discourage breastfeeding. The JAMA paper also states that pacifiers have been associated with a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome, thus making the pacifier ban irrational.

One final area of concern involves the 24-hour rooming-in rule, even when the mother is sedated or simply exhausted.

This rule requires newborns to stay with their mother, and in some cases it has resulted in hospitals closing down their nurseries completely. The pediatricians believe this rule can potentially lead to unsafe situations for the child, and harmful sleeping arrangements for the mother that she might utilize at home. Babies can be dropped accidentally out of bed if the mother falls asleep, or worse. There are many more areas of concern with baby-friendly hospitals, so the question to ask is, “are these participating hospitals really implementing safe and baby-friendly breastfeeding strategies?” You can read the whole article here. If there’s one thing we can ensure the safety of in this blog, it is our hospital bassinets. Novum Medical Equipment provides hospitals and medical facilities with safe, reliable furnishings, including stainless steel, wood front and maternity bassinets. For more information, browse our selection online or call us at 800-274-2742.

Three Simple Ways to Make Your Waiting Rooms More Comfortable

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Coffee and Tea More than just something for your guests to sip on while they are waiting for news on a loved one, coffee and tea provide them with an opportunity to get out of their seat and do something routine. This extra amenity can make your waiting area feel a little bit more homey, which means a lot to individuals going through a tough time.

Charging Stations

Whether you are calling and texting to update family members on your condition or checking social media, playing games and reading the news to pass the time, your phone battery is bound to run low while you’re sitting in the waiting room. The simple addition of charging stations will be a huge relief to patients and guests, reducing stress, frustration and boredom during their stay.

Comfortable Seating

No one wants to get stuck sitting in an uncomfortable seat for hours at a time, which is why we recommend providing plenty of seating options for your patients and guests. Small chairs and activity tables are a great way to keep your youngest visitors happy, and medical recliners will be greatly appreciated by sick patients, elderly individuals and expecting mothers. Other comfortable seating options include rockers and high-backed chairs. Novum Medical Products’ iSeries recliners are a great option to consider if you are looking for safe, comfortable, durable and stylish seating options for your patient waiting areas. To learn more about the recliner models available, contact us online or give us a call at 800-274-2742.

Updating Your Hospital’s Infusion Therapy Area

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Why? Patients visiting infusion therapy areas are at a very stressful point in their life where they may be facing feelings of helplessness, confusion and anxiety.

Instead of taking them to an empty, sterile room to have their treatments performed, hospitals should be working to make their infusion therapy stations comfortable places where patients can spend time relaxing or chatting with visitors while receiving treatment. Along with the simple solutions (like installing entertainment systems and painting walls in brighter, more lively colors) it’s also important to empower patients by giving them control over their physical comfort. By updating your infusion therapy furniture to pieces that allow the patients to adjust posture and comfort, your patients will be able to perform these tasks for themselves, which goes a long way when you are fighting a life-changing disease. When choosing recliners for your infusion therapy area, we at Novum Medical Products, Inc. recommend  the iSeries Designs’ line of medical recliners. Created with the needs of both the patient and the medical facility in mind, these recliners provide a safe, comfortable, reliable place for patients to receive treatment. Made to last, their high-quality designs also add a touch of style to your facility. Features that will be especially handy for patients receiving infusion are the fingerpull-operated back and lever-operated footrest available in the Sleeper Recliner and Trendelenburg Sleeper Recliner. For more information about these recliners, please give Novum Medical Products a call at 800-274-2742.

Four Ways to Make Your Hospital Maternity Ward More Comfortable

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According to Baby Centre, the perfect environment for giving birth is one that is warm, safe, private, quiet and dark. These elements can help to put the soon-to-be mom at ease, helping labor to progress naturally and comfortably.

Offer Entertainment

Labor can be a long and trying experience, and especially early on your patients will appreciate some distractions. Magazines, books, music and television are all great options to provide that will help both parents relax and get comfortable as they wait.

Provide Comfortable Seating

Since labor can last anywhere from just a few hours to more than a day, expecting parents could be spending a great deal of time in their delivery room. And while mom’s comfort is of the upmost important, dad’s should be taken into consideration too. Provide a chair that he will be able to take a nap – and maybe even spend the night in – while he’s waiting for his child to arrive.

Ensure Newborn Safety

The thing that will make both mom and dad the most comfortable? Knowing that their newborn is safe and sound as they sleep in their bassinet. Available in a variety of styles and finishes, Novum Bassinets are a client favorite because of their durability and reliability. All edges are hemmed for newborn safety and deep wells keep the bassinet firmly in place, even if one side is pulled down. To learn more about Novum Medical Products’ hospital bassinet options, please contact us at 800-274-2742.