How do you secure crash carts?

Specialties Emergency

Published

How does your facility secure your crash carts. We have several crash carts, one in our ER Trauma room. They currently have the breakaway red locks that are numbered - so if the number changes, you know someone has been in the crash cart. Our crash carts do have meds, but no narcotics or controlled substances.

Do any of you have different locks on your crash carts? Combination locks, keyed padlocks, etc... and is there a real need for those types of locks on crash carts.

Thanks everyone. HST

My question is what's the going rate for Atropine on the streets? Are kids really intubating each other for kicks on the playground?

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

Nope...they're inserting oral airways in themselves and seeing who can go the longest without puking!:barf02:

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Specializes in Critical Care.
My question is what's the going rate for Atropine on the streets? Are kids really intubating each other for kicks on the playground?

We all know that there's no better cure for hiccups than sux.

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Specializes in Emergency, ICU.

Crash carts should be locked because of the obvious temptation to open it and "borrow" supplies when the regular area is not stocked properly by the lovely people responsible for that :D

All places I've worked at have breakaway locks - numbered. When you pop it, you pop it and then once the code is done with, you replace the supply in the cart with fresh bins the pharmacy provides ahead of time and get a new lock from the pyxis. New number goes in the log book.

These are high use places. Cart gets cracked a couple of times a shift at least.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

The problem is the OP's state is requiring them to use PADLOCKS!!!!! I can't think of a worse thing to be forced to do. Hospitals have been using break-away locks for eons and while I'm sure there have been instances where medical equipment and drugs have been stolen from the carts I can't imagine it's such a big problem that this measure is necessary. I really feel for them.

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Just wanted to give everyone an update on the locked crash cart situation. Our carts are now locked with a combination luggage style lock. We have a bolt cutter mounted on the back side of the crash cart incase someone can't get it open. We have run multiple codes from the locked crash cart.

Things have actually worked out just fine. We have had no real big problems getting into the cart in a hurry when needed and it seems everyone has been doing very well about restocking the cart appropriately before locking it back up.

I hate the idea of it, but I have to say it has been working out. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

I can;t imagine having control locks on the crash carts. I think most facilities use the tamper-resistant locks to detect a 'tampering' of sorts. I can;t imagine having to run to a locked room/closet to obtain the crash cart if in the middle of a code/trauma.

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Specializes in Emergency.

OMG! Help us all! I don't understand! What is the point of not using a breakaway lock if you have a combination lock with a bolt culter on the same cart! How crazy! This is a complicated breakaway lock in other words. Apparently these people are employed only to find new ways to spend the hospital's money and to keep themselves employed by coming up with imaginary problems and ridiculous solutions. How stupid. Don't use breakaway locks because anyone can just break into a crash cart. Instead use a padlock with a bolt cutter on the back of the cart because that is so sneaky and tricky no one will figure it out. Durrr.....

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