Code cart outdates

[Hazelgirl_06]

Hi everyone!

im heading the ubc in the icu and looking for what works for other facilities. We have to do the code cart checks on our shift. I was wondering how people at other facilities managed the outdates on the cart. Is it individually changed by the nurse who checks it or does your materials department handle it?

thanks!

[TigraRN]

If it is a drug that is outdated, we pull out the drawer with meds and pharmacy gives us a new one. If it is something else, the supplies department give us a new stocked cart.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

All the drugs are in a lift-out medicine tray with a plexiglass top (with security tag). Pharmacy brings a new medicine tray and replaces the old one. Medication Drawer Tray for Crash Cart - MarketLab, Inc.

Whenever there is a code, pharmacy brings a new tray. If drugs are used, pharmacy replaces the whole tray with a new one.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Pharmacy stocks the cart. Each cart has a sticker on it with the date of the drug that will expire first. If past the expiration date ( theoretically, it should be caught when the expiration date is reached, not after it has passed), the cart gets sent to pharmacy and a new one is sent up. If something is expired, I'm guessing pharmacy has to search through the cart to find the med(s) that have expired.

If the lock on the cart is broken, the cart is sent to pharmacy (even if nothing was used), and then send up a new one.

[Hazelgirl_06]

So pharm deals with ALLL the outdates like blood tubes, iv sets, sterile gloves, etc as well?

[Hazelgirl_06]

Do they only deal with the drugs? I'm talking the entire code cart

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

So pharm deals with ALLL the outdates like blood tubes, iv sets, sterile gloves, etc as well?

After it is used (or it is expired), the cart is sent to the pharmacy and they send up a new one. Unsure if pharmacy is actually the one to check the tubing, gloves, etc. or if this is some other department. It is not done on the floor. The only items we are responsible for, on the unit, it to make sure the defib pads on the top of the cart are not expired and the defibrillator is test fired daily.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Pharmacy would handle all our outdated meds, and central distribution would handle other outdated supplies such as lab tubes, etc.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Nursing has to check outdates where I work and it was the bane of my existence when someone pointed out the expiry dates on all out alcohol swabs.

[RainMom]

Pharmacy takes care of the med drawer & nursing does a monthly check on the rest of the cart. We call materials if an expired item is not easily acquired in our supply room. Each drawer has a small card on the front indicating which item(s) in the drawer will be next to expire which then gets changed out each month.