A new design by Carle Illinois College of Medicine students is set to make one of the most common pieces of hospital equipment more stable, flexible, and easier to use.  It’s the bedside table that holds everything from water cups to eyeglasses and lifesaving call buttons.

CI MED students Greg Payne and Bailey MacInnis have redesigned the common bedside table’s design to improve patient care and the workspace for nurses and other medical professionals. The innovation could be a key component of the hospital room of the future, incorporating engineering principles to ensure greater stability, easier use, and better maneuverability.

“The current tables are difficult to maneuver. The legs get caught underneath the beds, the wheels trip over cords and bedside mats and are awkward to maneuver. We wanted to create a new table that would function better and create less maneuverability hassle for patients and providers,” said Payne, a fourth-medical student at CI MED.