Combining a trolley and stretcher is the design of the medical transport trolley. Often referred to as a gurney, a medical transport trolley is used to transport injured or sick patients either in a sitting or lying position.
Treatment centres and hospitals mainly use a medical transport trolley to transport patients to different units. Transporting outside patients to medical institutions has also made the medical transport trolley a must for ambulance personnel.
The intended use determines the choice of the right medical transport trolley. The five main medical applications that use transport trolleys include:
- Ophthalmology
- Trauma
- Neonatal care
- Emergency
- Mortuary
Ophthalmology Medical Transport Trolley
Often, ophthalmological procedures are outpatient cases. Ophthalmological transport trolleys are the right choice when it comes to the rapid management of outpatient procedures.
Emergency Medical Transport Trolley
Medical trolleys used during emergencies are ones that are easier to handle. The streamlined design of emergency transport trolleys makes EMTs handle the loading and unloading of patients from an ambulance to a medical facility.
Neonatal Medical Transport Trolley
Incubators and sick children find neonatal transport trolleys suitable for their safety and comfort while being transported from one unit to another.
Mortuary Medical Transport Trolley
The main application of mortuary transport trolleys is to transport bodies from the morgue.
Trauma Medical Transport Trolley
Patients suffering from trauma need specialised care. The specific functionalities provided by the trauma medical transport trolley supply the needs of trauma patients as they are transported from the ICU or intensive care unit, or emergency room, or radiology unit.
Features of Medical Transport Trolleys
Important things to consider in the choice of medical transport trolleys are features such as self-loading, variable height, reclining, and adjustable backrest options.
Other considerations include the energy source of the transport trolleys to operate their mechanisms. This includes electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic energy sources.
Some of the most common features medical transport trolleys include:
Self-loading
A self-loading feature in a medical transport trolley is best when there’s limited manpower during ambulance loading and unloading operations. Separating the removable parts from the trolley is a simple press of a button. The separation of the trolley from the stretcher makes patient manoeuvring easy and safe on and off the ambulance.
Adjustable height
Caregivers will be able to get an ideal position as they work on the patient with medical trolleys having height-adjustable features.
Reclining in Reverse Trendelenburg Position
Medical transport trolleys with reclining reverse trendelenburg position makes it easier for a caregiver to position a patient’s lower limbs lower than his/her head.
Reclining in Trendelenburg Position
A pedal is used to position a patient’s lower limbs higher than his/her head while lying on his/her back.
Adjustable Backrest
The patient’s comfort is enhanced with the adjustable backrest feature. This allows the patient to either assume a semi-seated or seated position.
Important Accessories to Consider
Investing in accessories with the purchase of a medical transport trolley needs to be considered. This includes:
- Side rails for patient’s safety
- Fixed straps to prevent a patient from falling while sleeping
- An IV stand for uninterrupted infusions while a patient is transferred
- A built-in weighing scale
- An adjustable headrest
- An oxygen cylinder holder
The intended application determines the choice of the right medical transport trolleys.