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A Few Considerations Before Choosing Labels for Transport Bags in the Hospital

At any hospital, the transport bags used to move blood, pharmaceutical items, and even medical records must be labeled accurately. Imagine a scenario where a transport bag has been mislabeled with the wrong blood type. Unfortunately, these things do occasionally happen in modern medical environments. To reduce these errors, facilities are being more careful regarding the types of labels they use and the information printed on them. The solution you choose will need to be capable of withstanding certain conditions such as:

•    Moisture
•    Chemicals
•    Heat or Cold
•    Environmental Exposure
•    Extensive Handling
•    Multiple Applications

These conditions will wear on a type of identification thus tarnishing readability, adherence, durability, and more. As they are continuously exposed to these conditions, their readability is further jeopardized. Worn or unreadable labels will in turn affect patients or the handler of the item.

What Considerations are Important for Hospital Labeling?

Everything a label is exposed to impacts how well it performs during transport of the item. The application conditions of the identifier will play a significant role in the materials chosen and what inks or protective qualities are added. The following four factors should always be taken into consideration before choosing the final design qualities:

•    Type of Application Substrates – This is the surface the label will be applied to, which varies based on texture, materials, and shape. The chosen design must match the substrate to ensure proper adherence and durability.

•    Desired Performance Characteristics – This includes the environmental conditions the label could be exposed to such as outdoors, refrigerated, or chemical. Those exposed to UV will have different needs than others exposed to extreme temperatures.

•    Available Printing Technologies – Several printing practices and inks can be used to create labels. If you are using a professional printing provider, it is essential to discuss these technologies to make certain they meet your needs.

•    Protective Coating Needs – Moisture, temperate changes, and other factors will require protective elements to be added to the printed label. These additions prevent the ink and materials from wearing or fading as they are exposed to UV, chemicals, or abrasive conditions.

Outside of these four factors, it is important to evaluate the hospital bag labels in the appropriate conditions to ensure they will perform as desired. This includes exposing them to weathering, water, refrigeration, humidity, and chemicals to make certain the label stays on as well as legible. Medical transport bag materials vary greatly depending on the purpose. For example, some may be fabric while others are derived from a plastic material. The labels ability to adhere to the substrate will be an essential decision factor.

A professional will have pre-tested dependable materials for these types of conditions. Their experience with different inks, methods, and materials makes it easier to get precisely what you need for dependable performance. This reduces the loss of time or money for a solution that simply does not work. At Shamrock Labels, we know how important it is to have a sturdy, readable label that withstands the environmental conditions a transport bag is exposed to. If you are seeking a high quality, affordable solution, we are here to help. Give us a call today!

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