Author: Administrator

Signs You Need a Low Protein Diet

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Image by Foundry – https://pixabay.com/en/users/Foundry-923783/

Why do some people need a low protein diet? What function do dietary supplements like Phenylade serve? What are the symptoms of the disease that forces people to change their diets, and how can treatment help? These are big, scary questions, especially if you suspect you or someone you love may have PKU, the disease that forces patients to start low protein diets. We’ve outlined PKU and its symptoms below. Children rarely go undiagnosed, and we explain why. We also give adults a list of potential symptoms to consider as they talk with their doctor.

PKU and a low protein diet

PKU prevents your body from fully digesting protein. Left in the system, certain amino acids build up. Like any chemical, a high enough concentration of these amino acids eventually becomes harmful. While most cases are caught before symptoms develop, PKU patients who go untreated, develop serious mental, emotional, and neurological problems. These range anywhere from delayed development, all the way to seizures, which can be deadly.

In order to treat PKU, patients must go on a low protein diet. Since their bodies cannot absorb what is needed from regular protein, their doctors prescribe specialized dietary foods, such as Phenylade. Products like Phenylade augment a low protein diet so patients can receive vital nourishment without ingesting dangerous amino acids.

Diagnosing Children

Today, most children are diagnosed at birth. The vast majority of hospitals run tests to ensure infants don’t suffer from PKU before they even leave the hospital. This early detection circumvents many of PKU’s developmental and emotional side effects, allowing children to grow up without battling the vast majority of these symptoms. Special formula for infants with PKU prevents them from consuming indigestible amino acids the same way Phenylade supplements adults’ diets.

Symptoms in Adults

There are undiagnosed adults with PKU. Although very few children go undiagnosed, many adults were born before regular testing for PKU became common in hospitals. In addition to the handful of symptoms listed above, adults may develop and notice any number of startling symptoms. For instance, patients with PKU often have unusually pale coloration, including fair hair, blue eyes, and stark white skin. Melanin, which adds pigment to these areas, comes from the amino acids PKU patients cannot absorb. Your body gleans many important nutrients from protein, and without them, you may face a host of symptoms. Patients may also have unusually small heads and musty smelling breath or urine. Hyperactivity is another sign of PKU, along with weak bones and eczema. Psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities may also stem from PKU. If these symptoms sound familiar, speak with your doctor right away. The sooner patients go on a low protein diet, the fewer symptoms they suffer.

Thanks to supplements like Phenylade, PKU patients can live long, healthy lives. If you feel like the symptoms above fit you, be sure to speak to a doctor right away. Early diagnosis can make a tremendous difference. Always ask for PKU testing for newborns, and monitor your own health carefully. You may find warning signs that you should be on a low protein diet.

 

Choosing the Best Shoe Covers

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Image by djedj – https://pixabay.com/en/users/djedj-59194/

When you think of PPE, you probably think of gloves. Maybe you envision a hard hat. If you work in a medical facility, you might envision disposable gloves and gowns. When you think about PPE, make sure you remember the parts of your body that come in contact with the dirtiest part of the workplace: your feet. Protective shoe covers are essential PPE for any medical center. These disposable products stop hazardous materials from hitching a ride on your employees’ footwear. Disposable covers also protect your employees from bringing contagions into their home. Moreover, they are vital to PPE for the safety of your workplace and your employees’ homes. What should you be looking for when choosing shoe covers to stock your workplace?

Coverage

Most importantly, make sure your shoe covers actual cover most the shoe. Covers need an elastic top that should come up to the ankle. It’s alright if a few inches along the shoe’s top are visible, but no more. Unfortunately, some shoe covers only protect the bottom half of the shoe. Others, simply can’t handle full sized sneakers, the most popular shoes for nursing and housekeeping staff. Since these two types of employees wear shoe covers more than any others, it’s especially important to ensure your chosen product works for them. Remember, shoes kick up tiny sprays when passing through fluids. Covers that fail to protect the tips and sides of the shoe may allow your employees to track hazardous materials and contaminants throughout the building. They can also end up tracking these contaminants into their own homes.

Non-Slip/Skid Shoe covers

Although disposable shoe covers cannot grip as well as shoe treads, they should not make your employees feel like they are ice skating. Non-slip and non-skid shoe covers save lives and prevent injuries. Ultimately, they save you money by protecting your employees. They also allow your staff to walk with confidence.

It’s important to balance this feature with coverage. Make sure covers are made of material that prevents leaks, but also provides some grip. Although basic plastic sheeting could plausibly function as shoe cover material, it would make even carpet slippery. Most medical facilities use tile or linoleum flooring, which can be slippery, even when dry. In the case of a hazardous liquid spill, your employees must be able to trust in their shoe covers to both protect them from the spill, and to prevent slips.

Your shoe covers prevent accidents, contamination, and the spread of infection. Although it’s easy to forget to protect your feet, shoes and their treads bring contaminants into otherwise sanitary environments. Your employees should always use extra caution around slip hazards, such as spilled fluids, and hazardous materials in general. However, it’s important for your shoe covers to provide protection against slips. This allows employees to focus on the real dangers and not the shortcomings of their PPE. Make sure covers protect as much of the foot as possible. This guards against spills. Last but not least, find a material that provides traction without allowing leaks. This keeps your patients and employees protected.

 

When to Use Powdered Gloves

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Image by whitesession – https://pixabay.com/en/users/whitesession-4645995/

There is a vast array of gloves, available on the market, it’s difficult to know which gloves you ought to use for a specific function. Powdered gloves have stirred a little controversy lately, and it’s important for everyone in the healthcare industry to know when it is and is not safe to use them. They can either save time and irritation or create very serious problems.

When You Should Use Powdered Gloves

Powdered gloves are easier to don and remove. In situations where your staff needs to change gloves quickly, this simple alteration can make a huge difference. Imagine an employee is trying to rip off old gloves and put on new ones in a time sensitive situation. Their hands are sweaty, and if the gloves are difficult to remove, they may be tempted to just push on with half-donned gloves, or even leave on the old pair. As unacceptable as this is in a healthcare facility, it’s a very human situation. Powdered gloves help your employees work as quickly as possible without facing temptation to compromise sanitation.

Powdered gloves protect staff members’ hands against certain chemicals. The powder sticks to and guards the skin, adding an extra coating in case any fluids leak inside the gloves. Make sure the chemicals won’t react with the powder in the gloves, of course. This is particularly useful for housekeeping and janitorial staff, although nurses, aids and other staff members could certainly use them as well.

When You Should Not Use Powdered Gloves

For your safety and your patients’ safety, you must know when it isn’t appropriate to wear powdered gloves. These gloves are not safe for sanitary environments because there’s a risk the powder could leak out of the glove and harm your patient. The powder can also react badly with certain substances. These concerns are great enough that the FDA issued a warning about powdered gloves earlier this year. The FDA is considering a ban on most types of powdered gloves in order to avoid potential misuse.

Since you can’t know how a patient will react to the powder in your gloves, it’s best to use non-powdered gloves for exams. It’s also unwise to use the gloves in sterile environments where the powder may contaminate samples or, worse still, enter an open wound. Some people cannot wear powdered gloves at all. Many people are allergic to the powder, and must be careful which gloves they use in order to avoid a painful rash.

Not all varieties of gloves come with powdered options. Extremely useful gloves, such as black latex gloves, usually only come without powder. This makes black latex gloves more suited to handling trauma wounds or handling powdered materials.

Powdered gloves are still extremely useful in the healthcare industry, but like any other tool, they do not suit every occasion. In order to protect yourself and those under your care, be sure to check with senior staff before using them. Also keep an eye on your skin to ensure you are not allergic to any of the materials.

 

Protect with Labels

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Image by geralt – https://pixabay.com/en/users/geralt-9301/

Healthcare is all about protecting patients. Everything from housekeeping to furniture is geared towards not only curing but also preventing illness and injury. You care about your patients, and while you do everything in your power to maintain their safety, there are always ways to improve. A simple but tremendously important safety measure is to use labels. Labeling prevents losses and toxic mixtures, and eases the work of nurses, aides, doctors, and housekeepers.

Patients’ Personal Effects

A number of procedures require patients to remove all personal effects, including small items, such as jewelry. It’s easy to lose your own earrings on your nightstand, let alone someone else’s in the middle of a busy hospital. Zip lock bags help keep patients’ personal effects safe, and labels keep them organized. You can use labels for more than just listing patient names, however. They can actually help you keep track of and protect the zip lock bags’ contents. Simply list and number everything that goes into the bag. When you accept the items, have the patient confirm that your list matches the contents. When you return the bag, the patient can compare the list with the items, ensuring everything they brought to the hospital leaves with them.

Cleaning Supplies

Original chemical bottles always have labels, but sometimes you must make your own labels for secondary containers. This is particularly true of open containers such as buckets. It’s important to know what the bucket contains, and to warn others of potentially harmful contents. You can write on buckets with a permanent marker, but these marks fade over time and quickly become difficult to read. Labels provide much clearer warnings, are easy to replace, and maintain a professional appearance.

Some solid cleaning supplies, such as special scrubbing tools and hand-held mark-removers, also contain chemicals. These are less likely to carry warnings on individual packaging. Often, clinics and hospitals buy these supplies in bulk and divide the supplies to individual janitorial closets in unmarked containers. Since the housekeeping staff has no way of knowing what chemicals these products contain, it’s imperative to label any secondary storage bags. This prevents potentially harmful chemical mixtures.

Medication

Zip lock bags make for good medication organizers. They provide additional protection for capsules in case of spills, and they are a spill-proof way to give patients their medication. However, everyone knows it’s important to label medication, and it’s a little too easy to grab the wrong bag when you’re in a hurry. Labeling secondary storage bags prevents life threatening mistakes. Large labels also make life easier for nurses, aides, and doctors looking for a specific medication in a hurry. The print on medicine bottles isn’t always easy to read.

Buying storage products with labels or buying labels separately allows you to better inform patients and employees of contents and potential risks. It’s a very simple safety habit anyone can easily adopt. If you find unlabeled containers in your janitors’ closets, patient rooms, carts, or storage rooms, it’s time to improve your safety standards. A few words on a small label can make a world of difference.

 

 

What is Phenylade and How it Helps Save Lives

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Phenylade is a dietary supplement for low-protein diets. It’s designed to ensure those suffering from a specific condition get the protein they need without the risks they face when consuming regular protein. Before getting into the details of Phenylade, you first need to understand the condition it’s designed to treat, and that condition is called Phenylketonuria, or PKU.

 

PKU

Phenylketonuria, or PKU, is a rare inherited disorder, although it has also been considered a birth defect. It affects a specific gene that normally produces an enzyme used to break down food. This condition limits the body’s ability to digest certain amino acids. The amino acid phenylalanine builds up in the bodies of patients with PKU until it reaches dangerous levels. Although amino acids are essential to survival, they can be deadly if they are allowed to build to toxic levels. Phenylalanine causes a broad range of symptoms. Because phenylalanine breaks down into the building blocks for melanin, those suffering from PKU often have very pale skin and blue eyes. PKU can also lead to rashes, weak bones, and an abnormally small head. Some symptoms are behavioral. These include slow intellectual development, hyperactivity, social disorders, and psychiatric disorders. In some of the worst cases, PKU has neurological problems, including seizures, which can be deadly. Adults can be diagnosed with PKU later in life, but today children are tested for the condition shortly after birth.

Those who suffer from PKU still have the same dietary needs as those without PKU, but their condition makes it impossible to get the nutrition they need from regular protein. Not only do those with PKU face holes in their nutrition, but consuming too much regular protein is dangerous, and potentially deadly. Because of this, doctors prescribe special dietary supplements to fill the gaps in PKU patients’ low protein diets.

Phenylade

Phenylade is one of the best and most often prescribed dietary supplements for patients with PKU. The powdered drink mix provides nutrition PKU patients cannot derive from regular protein. It also allows PKU patients to go on low protein diets to avoid the dangers of phenylalanine. It solves two problems at once. Since Phenylade is such a widely recognized brand, there is a lot of community feedback to improve the lifestyles of PKU patients. Recipes to make the basic Phenylade formula tastier and add variety to a low protein diet have popped up over the Internet. Phenylade is also one of the easiest supplements to find as it is carried by nearly every medical food chain and shop.

Living with PKU is a daily struggle, and the idea of such a restrictive diet can make patients wonder if it’s worth the repetition. This is especially true of children who may have to watch siblings digging into regular protein that the patient cannot consume. Fortunately, Pheylade is not only a trusted dietary supplement, but also a versatile one. It’s easy to disguise the daily shake as a treat. PKU is a terrible condition, but the low protein diet that comes with it doesn’t have to be bland. Talk to your doctor about Phenylade and stay healthy out there.

 

How the Right Housekeeping Supplies Save Lives

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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images – https://pixabay.com/en/users/Clker-Free-Vector-Images-3736/

Cleaning a medical center is not the same as cleaning a house. The risk of spreading contaminants is high, and it’s important to equip housekeeping staff with the tools they need to not only clean, but sanitize. While there are endless tips and tricks to reduce the spread of pathogens and improve cleanliness, two key ideas appear below. Even though housekeepers and janitorial staff are meant to stop the spread of infection, substandard and outdated housekeeping supplies can turn these lifesaving staff members and their tools into walking biohazards.

Disposable Protection

Issuing proper PPE is essential to protecting your employees. PPE simply stands for Personal Protetive Equipment. Nothing protects your employees better than disposable PPE products. While no medical professional would buy reusable gloves, many medical centers choose to reuse some housekeeping supplies rather than replacing them with disposables.

Not only do disposable products keep your housekeeping staff safe, but they also help maintain sanitation in patient rooms and public spaces. By changing PPE that comes into contact with potentially contaminated surfaces, your staff can restrict the contaminants’ movement. Changing gloves between every room, for example, prevents one patient’s cold from hitching a free ride on a housekeeper’s gloves. Since housekeeping duties require contact with touch points in a room, disposable products are critical to sanitation. Remember that reusable rags, mop heads, and other cloth products carry the same risks. Disposable wipes and scrubbing pads are always the most sanitary options. However, if you must use reusable items, be sure to have enough for each room to have its own. No rag should wipe down two rooms, and no mop head should scrub more than one floor between trips to the laundry room. Of course, even the journey to the laundry room increases the chances of accidental contamination along the way.

Sanitary Storage

While it is the job of housekeepers and janitors to keep medical centers clean, the closets and backrooms where their supplies are stored are often less sanitary than the areas they clean. And since housekeepers typically clean patient rooms and public spaces on a daily basis, they usually have the opportunity to clean their own storage closets no more than once a week. Because these storage units can hold everything from heavy blankets, to patient robes, to textile cleaning tools, it’s important to keep them clean. Without an increase in staff, however, this is implausible for many medical centers.

The alternative is to store housekeeping supplies smarter. Zip lock bags come in all shapes and sizes for a reason. They essentially hold anything you need to keep clean and dry. Since most janitorial closets have a tap for filling mop buckets and chemical sprays, it’s easy for traces of mold to grow and hide in stored textiles, paper products, and managerial supplies like notebooks and records. Mold is an irritant to most people, but it’s also deadly to many  patients. By storing vulnerable products in zip lock bags, housekeepers can preempt the threat. Zip lock bags are also easy to organize, not to mention well sealed. This means housekeepers need not suffer the pain of dropping the last clean towels on a dirty floor ever again.

These two simple changes can make a huge difference in sanitation and safety. Those in need of medical care need a safer, cleaner environment than most. It’s better to never know how many lives have been saved by preventative measures than to recognize even a handful of deaths that could have been prevented by better housekeeping supplies.

Three Safety Benefits of Disposable Lab Coats

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Image by PublicDomainPictures – https://pixabay.com/en/users/PublicDomainPictures-14/

Safety is the most important part of daily operations for any medical facility, and lab safety is particularly important. Choosing the right PPE for lab technicians can prevent injuries, improve productivity, and limit the number of accidents in the lab. The largest piece of PPE workers wear in the lab is, of course, a lab coat. Lab coats made of cloth may work well for doctors who have little if any lab time, but they can quickly become hazards. Disposable lab coats are a more sanitary option, and they have several important safety benefits.

Prevents dangerous chemical mixtures and limits flammability

Spills are inevitable in the lab, and in a setting filled with dangerous, often volatile chemicals, it’s important to prevent them from mixing. Even basic household cleaners can turn into a poisonous gas when they come into contact with each other. In a lab filled with potent concentrations of dangerous chemicals, these risks are magnified.

It’s also important to note that many chemicals lab techs come into contact with are flammable. Paired with open flames from Bunsen burners and other equipment, this can become a nightmare in an instant. Although both cloth and disposable lab coats are typically designed to be fire resistant, a catalyst can cause anything to catch and burn. By wearing a new, disposable lab coat every time they enter the lab, technicians reduce the risk of accidentally choosing a lab coat that has not been washed, or has not been washed thoroughly enough to remove flammable materials. This means disposable lab coats are also more cost efficient, since any lab coat that comes into contact with dangerous or flammable materials ought to be removed and disposed of immediately.

Prevents the spread of contagions

Perhaps the greatest risk in the lab comes not from chemicals or equipment, but from samples of bodily fluids, including those infected with contagious diseases. Until testing is completed, it’s impossible to know what hazards a sample may contain. Many samples arrive at the lab for study and experimentation after they have been confirmed as hazardous. Spills put everyone in the room at risk, even if the contagion is not airborne. All surfaces the sample came in contact with must be sterilized, and disposable lab coats offer ideal sanitation.

Prevents sample contamination

Even if your lab technicians are safe from the samples they handle, are the samples safe from the technicians? Fabric lab coats should be cleaned between each use, and they can carry hints of detergent, fabric softeners, and bleach. Since bleach is the only sure way to sanitize such apparel, the lab coat will suffer a lot of wear and tear in a short period of time. This makes for tiny, loose strings and frayed material that can crumble into samples and test tubes. Disposable lab coats do not carry this risk, and since patients’ health depends on the accuracy of the lab, this is a huge safety benefit.

A lab may be a hazardous place to work, but disposable lab coats minimize many of the risks. They protect both the lab technicians and the patients they serve. For ideal sanitation, cleanliness, and safety, always use a disposable lab coat.

 

Trying a New Diet Plan with PhenylAde

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Image by StockSnap - https://pixabay.com/en/users/StockSnap-894430/
Image by StockSnap – https://pixabay.com/en/users/StockSnap-894430/

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited condition that deprives the body of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxlase. Without this enzyme, the body cannot process phenylalanine (PHE), an important amino acid. Not only does this deprive patients of important nutrition, but the unprocessed enzyme can build up, causing seizures, growth problems, and other dangerous complications. To make matters worse, PKU affects patients at birth, and although there is a screening process to help physicians catch the disease before it does serious damage, PKU is rare enough that most parents have no idea how to handle their child’s condition. Dealing with PKU is never easy, but parents of children with PKU are often caught by surprise and must not only cope with the rigors of bringing home a newborn, but also the confusion of treating PKU.

PKU Diet

One of the most daunting aspects of treating PKU is the new diet. Children and adults with PKU have to avoid phenylalanine to prevent toxic build-ups of PHE. This means most sources of protein are off the menu. Only certain fruits, vegetables, and limited grains and cereals are allowed. In order to get their necessary protein, patients with PKU are usually prescribed special nutritional products specifically designed to fill the nutritional gaps left by the strict PKU diet.

It’s important to work with your doctor from the moment a diagnosis is made. Metabolic specialists can help patients live full, healthy lives. Special nutritional products to provide protein and essential elements lacking from a PKU diet require your doctor’s permission to purchase, and your doctor can help you determine which of the many formulas on the market is the best option for your specific condition. Infants will need special formulas to replace regular infant formula, but once they reach one year, they can graduate to PhenylAde and PhenylAde60, both of which are approved for toddlers, children, teens, and adults.

Tasty Changes

A dietary adjustment is always worrying, especially when you have to monitor what you eat so carefully, but you can trust that PhenylAde is one of the most recommended dietary supplements for PKU on the market. Your doctor will be able to determine if PhenylAde is the best choice for you or your child, but it’s well worth the change. Many previous PhenylAde users have mastered the art of mixing flavorful shakes with PhenylAde to improve their dietary lifestyle. PhenylAde comes in several flavors that lend themselves well to tasty mixes, and your regular dose can become a treat with a little creativity.

Living with Phenylketonuria is frustrating, and changing critical elements in your diet can be nerve wracking. For many, though, the benefits of adding PhenylAde to their diet outweigh those fears. Many PhenylAde users have learned to take a great product and turn it into a variety of tasty shakes. There is no cure yet for PKU, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat tasteless foods. You can eat safe and eat well at the same time. Always check with your doctor before making any changes to your PKU diet.

 

 

 

Adding Some New Nutrition to Your Diet

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Image by maxmann – https://pixabay.com/en/users/maxmann-665103/

Nutrition is the key to a healthy life. It fuels your body and gives you energy to keep fit and pursue your goals. Unfortunately, getting the right nutrition can be difficult, and the consequences have immediate and long-term consequences. Below are some ideas to help get the right nutrition from two of the trickiest portions of your plate.

Vegetables

Vegetables are the cornerstone of good nutrition. However, there are plenty of reasons people don’t want to eat them. People say they don’t like the texture, or they don’t like the flavor. Children often take this dislike to new levels of dietary rebellion. The good news is: there are plenty of ways to overcome those obstacles.

There are innumerable methods to hide vegetables in food. One idea is to imitate a smoothie, and then get creative. A blender will turn most vegetables into a highly nutritious puree, and tougher vegetables are easy to blend after a short boil. This veggie mix can be used in everything from meatballs to pasta sauce. After all, tomato sauce is nothing but seasoned tomato puree. Any sauce is an opportunity to add some vegetables to your meal. Finley chopped cauliflower can masquerade as breadcrumbs with the right seasoning, and many shredded vegetables go well in baked goods. Essentially anything you eat can be a secret vehicle for vegetables.

An easier trick is to simply try cooking vegetables a new way. Steamed and boiled vegetables quickly loose flavor and become soggy. Many people who believe they hate all vegetables really just hate vegetables when they are mushy. Roasted vegetables appeal to many picky eaters who do not believe they like vegetables. A little olive oil and some generous seasoning can go a long way towards turning the worst part of a meal into the highlight of your dinner.

Protein

The most complicated part of nutrition is often protein. Many people do not know the best sources of protein, consume too much protein, or do not consume enough of this vital dietary element. Any of these can cause severe health problems and increase your chances of developing additional conditions. Lean protein, particularly from fish, is usually the healthiest option. Protein from nuts and other vegetarian sources is also healthy, but it’s important to talk with your doctor and check for certain conditions before giving up all meat.

For some, however, protein is an even more complicated issue. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare genetic condition found in infants and adults that prevents the body from breaking down a specific amino acid. This causes the amino acid to build up to dangerous levels inside the body, resulting in seizures, hyperactivity, stunted growth, and further symptoms. If not treated, the condition can cause brain damage. Individuals with PKU must be prescribed special dietary supplements to ensure they receive the necessary protein without the hazardous amino acid they cannot properly digest. PhenylAde and PhenylAde60 are both good options for those with PKU. These two supplements are so popular, there are actually recipes online to turn daily doses into tasty shakes.

Every individual’s nutritional needs are a little different, and it’s important to consult with your doctor before making any serious changes to your diet. Still, there is always room for improvement, whether you’re looking to add more vegetables to the table or seeking the right source of protein.

The Many Uses of Zip Lock Bags

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Image by WerbeFabrik – https://pixabay.com/en/users/WerbeFabrik-1161770/

Lately, hospitals have been in the news for using plastic bags to save the lives of premature babies. This is just one example of plastic, zip lock bags at work in the medical field. Plastic bags are aseptically clean, but not sterile, which makes them superior to cloth bags and cardboard boxes for storage. Of course, the sheer diversity of styles and sizes enables the humble zip lock bag to step into a host of roles.

SPECIMEN ZIP LOCK BAGS

Whether a nurse is taking blood, a patient is offering a stool sample, or a lab technician is preparing a DNA testing kit, it’s important that the specimen stays safe. In addition to the collection tube or jar that serves as the first line of defense for the specimen, it’s important to prevent the specimen from damaging or becoming damaged by other samples with which it is transported. Hospital quality, zip lock bags should be air- and waterproof. Such bags provide specimens with an excellent second layer of protection. They also help prevent dangerous spills and contamination when the specimens are handled by medical professionals during transit and unpacking. Although medical professionals should always use gloves when handling such samples, it is always better to have too much protection rather than too little.

STORAGE

Zip lock bags come in many shapes and sizes with a range of thicknesses available. Although your average sandwich bag may not stand up to the sharp edges of metal tools, there are plenty of bags available, specifically designed to resist puncture. These can handle anything from mechanical parts to examination tools. Do you need to keep spare batteries on hand for the remote in the waiting room? It’s easy to keep them from cluttering up a desk drawer by simply restricting them to a zip lock bag. Would you prefer a more sanitary way to store reusable examination gowns than simply letting them sit exposed in a dusty closet? Store them in individual bags or store entire stacks in the largest zip lock bags. Use the same technique for newborn attire and blankets. Nearly anything that does not come with its own case can be stored in a zip lock bag, and even if an item does have a separate case, a zip lock bag can go over the original casing as additional protection.

PATIENTS’ PERSONAL EFFECTS

Patients must often remove personal effects before a procedure. This can include removing items of clothing for an exam or removing any metal from their person before a scan. Keeping these items in an open dish is an invitation for disaster. All it takes is one elbow to send the dish flying, and suddenly you’ve lost the patient’s wedding ring. With zip lock bags the range of sizes once again comes in handy. Large bags are available for patients to store bulky clothes in, rather than simply leaving them where they could become soiled or inconvenience the examiner. Small bags help keep jewelry and watches safe, even within a larger bag so they do not become lost in the folds of larger items.

Zip lock bags may provide any number of innovative uses, like warming tiny newborns, but it’s important to have them on hand to manage more mundane tasks. Still, having a ready supply of zip lock bags ensures you and your team are ready for the unexpected. You never know when an opportunity for creative thinking will come knocking.