RRT and/or Code Equipment/Supplies

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

Not an RRT nurse but our RRT nurses have an awesome rolling cart with all kinds of things in and on it, including a portable monitor, blood pressure cuff and a med drawer. As for the code teams, each department has a code cart and the code nurses just run to said department so they don't have to stop to gather supplies.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

As RRT we don't carry anything specific. All units have their own crash cart with portable monitor. We just get IV start supplies from the unit. We also are supposed to have boxes in the pyxis that we can get emergency drugs from like adenosine.

PMFB-RN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

I am full time RRT RN. Since our staff nurses don't draw their own labs or place IVs there are no lab supplies or IV supplies in any units except ED & ICUs. I wear Aviator scrubs and fill my pockets with lab tubes and stuff to starty IVs. I also usually cary some NTG pills, Lopressor IV, a couple albuteral nebs, atropine, adenozine and epinephren amps. Sometimes also some ativan and or haldol if I have a specific patient, or patients I am keeping my eye on who may need them fast (usally for seziures). In addition I usually have at least a nasal airway. Plus my regular gear, pocket SPO2 monitor, stethascope, hemostats, trauma shears, pen light, pocket knife, RRT cell phone, personal cell phone, code & trauam pager, tape and gloves in my size (extra large, not stocked in most of the hospital).

In addition we have RRT back packs stocked on certain units full of supplies including restraints and more advanced airway gear like LMAs. We also have these cool rolling carts placed in certain areas in the hospital (usually near crash carts but only RRT RNs can use them) and they are stocked with defibulators, monitors, LUCAS CPR machine, portable suction, C-collar, EZ IO kit with a variety of needle sizes, AMBU bags, IV fluds, a locked tackel box with ACLS and some other drugs like D50, narcan, romazacon, versed and fentanyl, back board, intubation kit and some other stuff I can't remeber right now.

All of the drugs I mentioned are drugs we can give on our own without orders on protocols depending on the situation. The other day I took a patient to MRI and before I entered I emptied my pockest of everything. It made a very impressive pile. Some of the female RRT RNs (I am the only male) carry a fanny pack instead but I won't go there.

I know it seems like we carry a lot of stuff but we are responsible for responding all over the hospital property and not just for patients. We are often called to treat visitors and staff as well and they might be anywhere. I have found myself treating hypoglycemiam, STEMI, massive beeding, head injuried and lots of other stuff out in the parking lot or in the cafeteria, and even once at the train station that is in the parking lot all alone, at least for a while.

In addition to all that I usually carry sugar packets since I can't stand coffee without sugar and often it's not possible for me to make it back to our office for my coffee:)

You might get more responses to this if you posted it in the critical care areas where there are already some other RRT discussions going on

SwansonRN · Oct 9, 2012

I have never been to a code blue in a different area than my own because I'm still pretty new, but where I work each ICU is responsible for attending codes in their specific area of the hospital. We use the code carts on that unit or security will bring one if it is in a non-patient care area like the kitchen or parking lot. All of our code carts throughout the hospital are standardized. The only thing we need to grab and take with us is the Zoll defibrillator, because everywhere else they use an AED.

I would have no idea about RRTs, sorry!

8mpg · Oct 10, 2012

Our hospital has crash carts in all departments. Other than that, you just need some intelligent nurses. Our hospital does not allow any medications without an order outside of acls.

Jenni811, RN · Oct 10, 2012

With our RRT we carry everything we would carry for a code blue because an MRT can quickly turn into a code blue and you don't know what your walking into. You could be walking into a stroke, you could be walking into symptomatic bradycardia, you could be walking into altered mental status that has gone bonkers...you NEVER know. The emergency stuff you need immediatly is in the crash cart.

PMFB-RN, RN · Oct 10, 2012

Our hospital has crash carts in all departments. Other than that, you just need some intelligent nurses. Our hospital does not allow any medications without an order outside of acls.

*** Wow really? You guys don't even have a hypoglycemia protocol that allows nurses to give D50 without getting an order first?