Monitoring equipment (e.g., electrocardiograph, pulse oximeter, capnograph, oscillometric or Doppler blood pressure unit).
BOX 1 lists common supplies in a crash cart. All staff members should know what is in the cart and where to find each item.
Carts should be fully stocked and in date at all times, and each drawer should be labeled. In human medicine, it has been proven that a pre-stocked station that includes the proper crash cart and CPR aids such as flow charts and algorithms improves the outcome of cardiopulmonary arrest.Ĭrash carts should include emergency medications, intravenous catheters and fluids, and a defibrillator.
Studies have shown that environmental factors (e.g., location of the crash station) availability of up-to-date checklists, flow charts, and easy-to-follow aids and maintenance of a well-stocked, organized cart can help improve the success rate of CPR. Hospitals that have separate wards or treatment areas should consider maintaining multiple crash carts to cover all areas. The station should be near oxygen and suction sources to increase cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) success rates. Crash carts are commercially available (FIGURE 1), but hospitals can prepare their own using a large or a small toolbox (FIGURES 2 AND 3) or even a cabinet drawer.Ī hospital’s crash cart should be located in the central treatment area and in areas where patients are anesthetized. Multiple-doctor, high-volume hospitals typically have larger, more complete crash carts than smaller, low-volume hospitals. The size of the cart depends on the number and types of emergencies a hospital manages. For the most recent peer-reviewed content, see our issue archive.Ī crash cart can be as simple as a mobile, compact cart equipped with medical equipment and supplies for various emergencies. Please use this content for reference or educational purposes, but note that it is not being actively vetted after publication. A crash cart can be designed to fit the needs of any hospital and can help stabilize critically ill or injured patients.Įditor’s Note: This article was re-published in July 2016. Having a centrally located station for emergencies with a crash cart that is stocked and ready to use is essential for saving time, which is crucial in emergencies and should not be wasted by scrambling to gather supplies. Many different types of emergencies can present at veterinary practices at any time of day.
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