WHAT IS A BLANKET WARMER? A blanket warmer, sometimes called a warming cabinet, is used to store and warm blankets, gowns, washcloths, towels, or other linens in a healthcare or service-related environment. They come in various sizes and can have several compartments depending on your warming needs. It’s common to have low temperatures in rooms where medical procedures or where surgery is performed. It is also common to have anxious patients waiting for long periods of time in staging areas before an exam or a procedure. Both of these scenarios can have adverse effects on the patient. A warm blanket can be the first method for keeping a patient’s body at normal temperature and the first thing to help ease their fears and anxiety.
BLANKET WARMER SAFETY – GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES: Following the recommended guidelines and procedures when using a blanket warmer is important for both patient safety and compliance. Recommendations from individual manufactures may include temperature ranges, warming time, and storage practices. While there are no national blanket warmer temperature guidelines, the ECRI Institute issued a hazard report update that blanket warming temperatures should be no higher than 130° F to decrease the risk of patient injury. The report also noted that IV fluids should not be warmed in the same cabinet as used for blankets.1
BLANKET WARMER USES: The practice of blanket warming is used in a wide variety of applications, from medical facilities to veterinary offices to spas. Medical blanket warmers can be used to warm linens, blankets, gowns, washrags, and towels. Sometimes fluids like blood and IV fluids are warmed in a warming cabinet to restore a patient's body temperature to a normal range during or following a medical or surgical procedure to avoid hypothermia. Warming linens and blankets are also increasingly popular tools for increasing body temperature for patients following surgery.
BLANKET WARMER OR WARMING CABINET? The terms "blanket warmer" and "warming cabinet" refer to the same thing. There is no difference between the two terms. The term "warming cabinet" is a more holistic description as this equipment can warm both blankets and linens, as well as different fluids used in a medical setting. Blanket warmers/ warming cabinets are also referred to as medical blanket warmer, hospital blanket warmer, blanket/solution warming cabinet, and blanket warmer cabinet. Regardless of the “Name” – they all provide warmth and comfort to patients in a variety of settings. Z&Z Medical carries a wide variety of Warming Cabinets and even Portable Blanket Warmers for those times when you need an immediate warm blanket within arms reach. CLICK HERE to visit our website to see the latest in warming cabinet technology options.
