Dopplers on your crash cart?

Specialties MICU

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Do you keep a doppler on your crash cart? Is there a doppler available on the crash cart when you respond outside of the critical care areas? Does anyone have recommendations for a quality battery powered doppler?

Thanks for your help!!

Specializes in ER.
Why would a nurse who worked on a surgical floor not be proficient with a doppler? Do you think we wait for the doctor to come in to check doppler only pulses? We have a doppler on each med cart and have used them often in codes, I would say 50% of the time.

I agree, I was a med-surg nurse before I did critical care...we used dopplers there as well... In fact that is where i first learned how to use them...Its not that hard to use...and the fact that someone may think that a med surg nurse may not be proficient in doppler use is kinda insulting...

We have dopplers on each crash cart. The charge nurse is responsible for checking the batteries on the dopplers, laryngeal scopes and flash lights during the first week of the month.

I agree, I was a med-surg nurse before I did critical care...we used dopplers there as well... In fact that is where i first learned how to use them...Its not that hard to use...and the fact that someone may think that a med surg nurse may not be proficient in doppler use is kinda insulting...

I agree with you that it is insulting to assume that a med-surg nurse would not be proficent in doppler use. Would they not need to use them for ABIs or BPs with pts with PVD? This is the kind of thinking that causes rifts between unit nurses and floor nurses.

I agree, dopplers are easy to use. Anyone can learn in about 1 minute.

I would be interested in getting one for myself. I frequently detect my own pulse in my fingertips when palpating for a pulse. Especially in a pt. with compromised vascular status or hypotention.

So far everywhere on line that I have checked, they are $650 and up.

I would be willing to pay around $100, maybe I'm dreaming.

Anyone know of a source for "cheap" dopplers.

Thanx,

Walt :coollook:

Specializes in ER.
I agree, dopplers are easy to use. Anyone can learn in about 1 minute.

I would be interested in getting one for myself. I frequently detect my own pulse in my fingertips when palpating for a pulse. Especially in a pt. with compromised vascular status or hypotention.

So far everywhere on line that I have checked, they are $650 and up.

I would be willing to pay around $100, maybe I'm dreaming.

Anyone know of a source for "cheap" dopplers.

Thanx,

Walt :coollook:

Walt, here's one I found for you for about $130 on ebay...It is a fetal heart doppler...however, I think the only difference really is that the doppler head is larger than one on a vascular doppler....but may be sufficient for a personal one...doppler

Walt, here's one I found for you for about $130 on ebay...It is a fetal heart doppler...however, I think the only difference really is that the doppler head is larger than one on a vascular doppler....but may be sufficient for a personal one...doppler

Thanks I'll check it out.

Specializes in ICU.

Strange I would stumble on this thread today. We had 2 codes today both Pt's in PEA. I never really thought about putting one on a crash cart before. The doc asked for a doppler on one but not the other. It took forever on the 2nd one for people to agree wether or not the Pt had a pulse. Several of the ER docs request the echo to see whats going on if we get a pulse back.

Incidently both codes appear to be the result of a PE. The first happened when the central line was removed and the 2nd became very anxious before coding.

Do you keep a doppler on your crash cart? Is there a doppler available on the crash cart when you respond outside of the critical care areas? Does anyone have recommendations for a quality battery powered doppler?

Thanks for your help!!

Technically at our hospital we keep a doppler on our code cart, however the dopplers that we have are so crappy they end up getting taken and stuck in people's rooms so when were looking for them in the middle of a code they are no where to be found.

Specializes in Flight, ICU, ER, PACU.

Hey guys. This is my first post so excuse any mistakes.

My understanding is that if there is no palpable carotid pulse (it takes an estimated sys BP of approx 60 mmHg in order to generate a palpable carotid pulse according to the ATLS manual) then there is not sufficient pressure to perfuse the brain and chest compressions are warrented. We need to stop wasting time and pt brain cells trying to find a doppler pulse. Start compressions and fix the cause (or try to anyway)!

Do you keep a doppler on your crash cart? Is there a doppler available on the crash cart when you respond outside of the critical care areas? Does anyone have recommendations for a quality battery powered doppler?

Thanks for your help!!

I am part of the overall code/trauma team at my hospital and we use dopplers enough during for our codes that they would be beneficial. I agree that there has been enough events were the doppler was the only source of pulse to confirm heart activity.

I am sure there is enough room for a small doppler in each of our code carts.

A nurse should always be prepared.

Guero, Just wanted you to know that there should be more than one person at a code. Dopplers are used: to confirm pulse with CPR and used to stay on pulse when CPR is paused to check for pulse. I totally agree if there is only one responder to a code situation then for all sake....do CPR forget the doppler.

Lindamarie76, you and your colleague need to go back to reality on a Med Surg floor. If you think they don't know how to use a doppler, you are severally mistaken. You and your colleague give a bad name to nurses and their needed unity within the units.

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