Your doctors and nurses are on their feet all day. With schedules packed full of patients, meetings, and research, they are always on the go. Adding a standing desk to your treatment areas can provide a perfect pit stop for jotting a quick note before they move on to the next patient.
When working with tight spaces, keeping equipment minimal is a good idea. Hospitals are always moving patients around, and bulky desks just get in the way. Choosing the right standing desk takes careful consideration of factors like cable management, durability, and ergonomics. Here is our guide to help you make a good choice!
What To Look For When Choosing the Best Standing Desk
A good standing desk will blend convenience and durability in a quality product with a fair price tag for the value. Although standing desks are typically slim and trim, you don't have to give up the nice features like cable management, monitor mounts, IT accessories, and a good warranty.
Effective Cable Management
Computers and tablets need power, and most still operate while plugged into a wall, at least for some portion of the day. Unfortunately, cables clutter workspaces and can make an already small standing desk unworkable. Cable management is a top consideration for standing desks because you want to plug in without cords getting in the way. Built-in cable clips and storage for IT accessories are a good choice.
Monitor Mount Support
Depending on what type of use your standing desks will get, it can be helpful to have a monitor mount to hold computer screens up off of the working surface. Multiple displays can improve productivity, making it easy to reference charts and data simultaneously. When shopping for a standing desk, take into consideration how many monitors will be needed.
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Fair Warranty
A good warranty is the most commonly overlooked aspect of buying a standing desk. Buyers usually want to believe that their investment will last for a long, useful life. But it would be a mistake to casually make this assumption. Unanticipated defects can sometimes lead to problems. When that happens, a good warranty is your best protection. At a minimum, look for manufacturers that warranty their products for at least one year. However, multiple-year warranties are best.
Carsten's is your trusted supplier for medical equipment like workstations and charting supplies. As a women-owned business, we are proud to be WBENC-certified and committed to building diverse supply relationships. Learn more about our products today!
Figure Out the Space Measurements and Requirements
Choosing a desk that fits your space is probably the most obvious checklist item. In a hospital, space is always a concern. If you need a small desktop to fit your space, consider adding accessories like a monitor stand to make the most available workspace. Shallow desks tend to keep things close in reach. They aren't great for long-term use, but your hospital staff is not likely to spend long amounts of time.
Consider where the desk will sit and how traffic will flow around the desk when it is in use. Placement is important, especially in relation to power sources, natural lighting, and existing traffic patterns. Standing desks come in full-size and compact sizes to meet a variety of spaces. If your standing desks will be mounted to a wall, make sure that they do not protrude into walkways where they are prone to causing injury.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics refers to how the design of a desk allows users to maintain good posture and work comfortably. While your doctors won't spend long hours standing at medical workstations, good posture is still important. Medical staff work long hours, and time spent hunched over at poorly designed workstations eventually take their toll. When shopping for a good standing desk, ergonomics are just as important as they would be for someone who spends 40 hours a week at their desk.
The monitor should sit at arm's length when a user is comfortably positioned in front of the workstation. The top of the monitor should sit at eye level. There should be plenty of room to keep a keyboard and mouse on the same surface. And the height should take into consideration the average height of 5' 6 inches and allow the user to keep their hands at or below elbow level.
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Type of Desk
Standing desks come in different styles. Choosing the right design for your medical practice will help ensure that your employees will make good use of the equipment you have invested in. Some standing desks can transition between sitting and standing positions. If you want flexibility, you can choose between a manual adjustment and an electric adjustment. Other types of standing desks include wall-mounted desks and tabletop desks.
Cost
Aside from all of the bells and whistles, the bottom line may come down to price. Depending on what features and quality you need, you can find a standing desk for as little as $100 or as much as $1000. Keep in mind that a standing desk in a medical facility will get heavy use and regular cleaning. Material and quality should be factored into the overall cost of the equipment.
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What Is the Best Standing Desk for Medical Workstations?
There are many opinions to be found on which standing desk makes the best workspace. But keep in mind that the needs of a medical facility are a little bit different than those of the typical desk jockey. First and foremost, a standing desk for a medical workstation should be made from a durable, non-porous material. For example, the Carepod is made from powder-coated steel that fits the bill for both. In addition to the material, a smart choice for a standing desk in a medical environment favors ergonomics and a space-efficient design as well as cable management. Cost is still important, but not as much as the value provided by making the right choice.
Carsten's is a woman-owned medical supply business celebrating 130 years on the supply side of healthcare. We offer flexible options for standing desks, including wall-mount models like the Carepod and mobile standing desks like the Walk-a-Roo. Browse our catalog to learn more.