Have a question about med carts...

[Js10886]

Hey everyone. First let me start by saying my supervisor is ALWAYS on my case about everything. I have a resident that is a total train wreck. Trach, PEG, the whole 9 yards. I brought the med cart into the room to prep allllll his meds and insulin and fingerstick stuff. My supervisor told me that it was a health code violation. I was unaware of this. I'm in New York State.

My question is, is it a health code violation to bring a med cart or treatment cart into a resident's room? And can someone point me in the direction of finding the rules for this?

Thanks so much :-)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My question is, is it a health code violation to bring a med cart or treatment cart into a resident's room?

Since each state has its own 'health code,' whether or not this is a health code violation totally depends upon the state in which you practice nursing.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Since each state has its own 'health code,' whether or not this is a health code violation totally depends upon the state in which you practice nursing.

This.

I would check also policy and procedure as well.

I always keep med and treatment carts outside of the room I am working with; it's policy to keep treatment carts directly outside or at least in the doorway of the room I am working in for infection control purposes.

[systoly]

you believe your supervisor is fibbing?

it is certainly not permissible in my area

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

In CA I've been taught you can't bring carts into rooms. For complicated medication/treatment regimens, we got creative with setting up everything in a tray we carried into that particular residents room--sanitized with alcohol before we start and after we exit.

We aren't supposed to bring materials room to room because they could pick up germs and carry them from resident to resident.

[whatdidigetmyselfin2]

In CA I've been taught you can't bring carts into rooms. For complicated medication/treatment regimens, we got creative with setting up everything in a tray we carried into that particular residents room--sanitized with alcohol before we start and after we exit.

We aren't supposed to bring materials room to room because they could pick up germs and carry them from resident to resident.

This! I was always taught even as a CNA that once something "clean" goes into a patient's room, it is then considered "dirty" even if it wasn't used. It's good to get into the habit of carrying only the things you need into the room and cleaning things like the glucometers thoroughly after use since you can't really throw those away.

[NurseKandace]

I've never brought a med cart or tx cart into a patients room before. I do believe it is policy. Policy wants us to have the med cart in front of each room as we pass meds with the draws and laptop facing the room. I couldn't imagine the in services I would have to sit through for that.