(July 2021) – When I interviewed for the position of director of purchasing at Ness County Hospital, I don't think they realized how much I meant it when I said, "I love to organize." I was hired by NCH two years ago, and the first thing I wanted to do was tackle the functionality of the storeroom.

The space I had to work with was cluttered with boxes, had overcrowded shelving units and poor lighting. I thought to myself, "How can I improve the workflow of this area?" I wanted to make it as easy as possible for staff to come in and quickly find what they need. My top priority is making sure the right supplies are available when our patients need them.

Ness County Hospital District #2 Storeroom - Before

I began by creating more space between the shelving units, installing LED lighting, and optimizing shelf space by removing unnecessary inventory.

I asked clinical staff what didn't make sense to them or if they had frustrations with the current set-up. With the use of a tape measure and scotch tape, I marked where the shelves would be placed to help visualize the space. I wanted the products placed logically based on the type of care the patient was receiving. I separated the products by type, separated by the following areas: housekeeping, personal hygiene, incontinence, needles and syringes, apparel, ambulatory and emergency equipment, respiratory, orthopedic, urological, and wound care.

Next, I reduced SKUs of similar items in order to standardize the products and make more space. With the updated item master list, I exported labels to be used with a magnet-to-magnet strip kit. I wanted a system that utilized a removable label and identified the product easily, making room for new products when needed. The magnetic label has been a great solution for this challenge.

I opted for clear containers because I find color coding can become too distracting. Staff tend to recognize the packaging of the product itself, and I wanted them to see the contents within the containers at first glance. 

Ness County Hospital District #2 Storeroom - After
 

I received my storeroom knowledge through my college years working in the science of nutrition storeroom in Justin Hall at Kansas State University. My supervisor taught me to be efficient, take pride in tidiness, and be a helping hand to anyone I encounter. Although it was years ago, that experience helped me prepare for the work I do today.

When I was hired, I was told materials management is one of the few roles in the hospital touching every department on a daily basis. My hope is I can provide less stress and confusion for staff so they can quickly get back to providing great care to our patients through strategic organization.
--Kari Mellies