Choosing the Right Printer for Your Hospital

Do you know the difference between label printers used in the hospital?  In hospital printing, the two most common are thermal and laser printers. At RMS, we recommend thermal bar code and label printers for most applications within the hospital for accuracy and lower cost of ownership.

To help you learn more about label printers, we’ve posted an overview to compare both thermal and laser printing techniques.

Where thermal printers excel: Printing on-demand labels, bar code printing, printing on specialized media, high-volume printing, mobile printing applications and RFID encoding/printing.

Where laser printers excel: Printing documents and forms, labels for small to medium-sized applications.

For Hospital Label Printing Applications:

Thermal label printers:

• Thermal printers allow you to print one label or multiple labels at a time, eliminating waste.
• Desktop models fit conveniently in small places like nursing stations, pharmacy counters, and laboratories.
• Can easily use synthetic media to protect against UV light, cold temperatures, extreme heat, liquids, etc.
• Direct thermal printing does not use any consumables except for the labels, eliminating toner/ribbon/ink costs
• Thermal printers are designed to print labels. The printheads are easily cleaned and label adhesive does not often build up in the printer. This eliminates repair costs and maintenance costs.
• Thermal printers are very good at printing in black and white, which is good for simple labels and bar coding applications. However, color options are limited to pre-printed labels or color ribbons.

Laser printers:

• Laser printers can only print an entire sheet of labels at one time, causing waste.
• Laser printers are generally larger than thermal printers, so they are not as convenient for small applications.
• Laser printers are generally not good at using synthetic media because the thickness causes jamming. Also, the print from the toner easily smudges when it comes in contact with liquids.
• Laser printers use toner cartridges that need to be replaced often. A normal coverage area for toner on a normal document is about 5%. When bar coding, the toner coverage can be up to 30% because of the darkness of the bar codes. This means that a laser printer could go through about 6x more toner cartridges when printing bar coded labels, translating into higher consumable costs.
• Laser printers are designed to print documents and forms. The inside of the printer is not easy to clean and adhesive from labels often causes build-up in the printer. Laser printers require more maintenance and repairs when printing labels than when printing simple documents.
• Laser can print well in color. However, this is a more expensive option than a plain black and white laser printer.

For Wristband Printing Applications:

Thermal wristband printers:

• Thermal printers are on-demand, so they can print single or multiple wristbands at a time.
• Desktop thermal printers are very compact and inexpensive, so it is easy to implement these in admitting and on a nursing floor.
• Thermal wristbands are available in various sizes, from neo-natal to adult to bariatric, ensuring that the wristband will fit the patient.
• Thermal printers are very good at printing crisp bar codes fast on synthetic wristbands that will scan easily.
• Thermal wristbands are single-step processes (the printing is directly on the wristband itself) w/o additional work for the hospital staff to assemble the wristband.
• Direct thermal wristbands do not involve any toner/ink/ribbon costs.

Laser printers:

• Laser printers must print an entire sheet at a time. Therefore, they cannot print single wristbands without attached labels/forms, causing waste.
• Laser printers are large, so the hospital must have more consolidated print locations and less distributed printing for admitting stations or nursing floors.
• Laser printers usually don’t have a large selection of sizes available for their patients (usually, the wristbands have to be cut, or labels are applied to wristbands separately).
• Laser printers are good at printing pictures, graphics, etc., in color or in black and white, but they sometimes require separate font cards to natively print bar codes.
• Most laser printing solutions are two-step processes where a label or card stock is inserted into a plastic wristband. This is more work for the hospital staff and more expensive than printing directly on the wristband. The one-step process for laser wristbands involves a self-laminating option where the staff must line up the laminated cover on the wristband exactly to protect it from water/chemicals. If this isn’t lined up exactly, then the laser printing will smudge or fade.
• Laser printers must use toner, adding extra cost to the wristbands.

For more information about hospital label printers, contact RMS Omega. We’re happy to answer your questions!

Learn More About Healthcare Printers

Best Labeling Practices for Hospitals

Hundreds of patients visit hospitals every day, and the doctors, nurses and other staff members are working hard to give those patients the best medical care. Emergency and medical procedures are not the only way to deliver that care. By using proper labeling practices, patients and staff can stay safe at the hospital.

Ensuring that your labels have proper information is vital for patient care, whether it be medication, hazardous materials, specimens, patient charts and rooms, relevant documents and more. All staff must work together to ensure that everything is labeled correctly and everyone is following the guidelines written on the labels.

Types of Hospital Labels

There are numerous types of labels used in hospitals and healthcare environments. Labels make it easy to convey important information quickly and in an easy-to-read format. Here are some of the most common types of hospital labels:

• Pharmacy labels: Pharmacy and medication labels are essential for both the hospital and the patient. Proper labeling helps healthcare professionals administer the correct medications and directs patients on how to take their medication.

• Anesthesia labels: Anesthesia supplies need to be labeled to ensure a patient is receiving a safe dosage and type. Labels help reduce the risk of human error. 

• Laboratory labels: Laboratory labels help with patient identification, which helps get test results and diagnostics back to the right patient quickly.

• Custom labels: There are numerous ways to label hospital items, like charts or patient identification wristbands. Many hospitals may have different ways of labeling items like this, in which case custom labels would be ideal. If you have a specific way of marking something, consider making a custom label for it.

All of the information above needs to be clearly labeled to ensure the patient is using the medication properly. When labeling specimens in the lab, this information must be included on the label:

• Patient's first and last name
• Hospital medical record number
• Collector's ID
• Time and date the specimen was collected.

Common Mistakes in Hospital Labeling

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are bustling, busy spaces, making it easy for mistakes to happen when labeling. Here are a few common labeling errors to be aware of:

• Illegibility: Neat, clear handwriting is essential when labeling or charting. If labels are illegible, the chances of error increase significantly. Whether it be administering the wrong medication or mixing up samples in the lab, mistakes are more likely if the label isn't clear.
• Smudged ink: Hand writing labels increases the risk for the ink to smudge or bleed on the label. For example, if the ink from a pen hasn't completely dried before a sample is handled, the label is likely to get smudged and become illegible.
• Missing information: Missing information is one of the most common mistakes in hospital labeling. To provide adequate healthcare and keep patients safe, all the necessary information needs to be included on the labels.
• Improper labeling: If medications or drugs are mislabeled, patients can be given the wrong drugs. This is a huge safety risk, as many patients have allergies and certain drugs can induce specific patient reactions.

Hospital Labeling Best Practices

When it comes to labeling medications, the following must be included:

• Patient's first and last name

• Prescribing doctor

• Drug name

• Dosage

• Strength

• Directions of use

• Quantity prescribed

• Any refills, if necessary

All of the information above needs to be clearly labeled to ensure the patient is using the medication properly. When labeling specimens in the lab, this information must be included on the label:

• Patient's first and last name

• Hospital medical record number

• Collector's ID

• Time and date the specimen was collected

Every sample must be labeled appropriately to ensure there are no mix-ups at the lab. Many labs will also reject unlabeled samples. Patient documents must also be clearly labeled with any allergies, health issues, current medications and any other information that is important for their care. During an outbreak, proper labeling is especially vital. This can help prevent the spread of diseases even further. For instance:

• Patient samples: Samples that have been taken by those potentially exposed to a virus must be labeled correctly. This will ensure that proper procedures will be followed if test results come back positive.

• Quarantined areas: Marking quarantined areas and what to do when entering these areas should be clearly stated. This will help ensure that those who are treating the patients are protected against infection.

Healthcare Label Considerations

Since there are numerous label needs and various factors that can affect them, it's important to be sure you're using the most effective labels. To help you find the best labels for any situation, here are a few considerations to make:

• Storage: Where your labels get stored can affect the bond to the bottle and more. For example, some medications and drugs need to be refrigerated. Be sure that the labels used on these drugs can withstand cold temperatures so there's less risk of them falling off or shrinking.

• Printer compatibility: Be sure that any labels you have are compatible with your printer system. Without printer compatibility, you'll be unable to properly print labels. If you can't use your printer to create the labels you need or want, consider ordering from a printing service like Nev's Ink.

• Printed vs. written labels: Decide whether you'll use written or printed labels. While writing on labels can be convenient, written labels are much more likely to smudge. To help prevent the risk of smudges, look for smudge-proof labels or consider simply printing them instead.

Fulfill Your Healthcare Labeling Needs With Nev's Ink

At Nev's Ink, we carry high-quality labels for all your hospital labeling needs. We understand the urgency for labels in a hospital environment, which is why our process allows for stock items to be delivered right away. We also know that keeping costs low is essential. We operate at a minimal cost, so we can pass those savings onto our customers. For more information on our hospital labels, visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-638-7465. We will answer any questions you may have. Contact Nev's Ink today!