Where to KEEP crash carts

[rn5350]

Hi guys,

I was wondering where you all KEEP you crash carts? My Boss had un lock it in a closet under lock and metal key we have to get from a nurses station to open the door and get the crash cart out. Is this kosher or not? Is this ok or is it breaking some kind of regulation?? When I came in and found that, I pulled it out back into the hall way in front of my nurses station. Suggestions??

[loriangel14, RN]

Having to go get a key to unlock the crash cart doesn't sound very safe.Ours is beside the nursing station.

[grandmawrinkle]

It should be somewhere immediately accessible. Most, these days, have some sort of plastic breakaway lock on them but most places have taken narcs/benzos off the carts so they aren't broken into/stolen from anymore.

[mmm cdiff]

Ours is right in the middle of the unit, covered by a sheet. No lock. Wastes time.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

We share ours with our neighbouring ward so right in the middle of the coridoor. Drugs in a pack on each ward at the nurses station but defib we share. Just have to unplug and run!

[chloecatrn]

JCAHO isn't going to like that you have to unlock anything to get to your crash cart. Near a nurses' station is better, especially if there are drugs stored in it. If your meds come from pharmacy with the code team, or are stored in your Pyxis/McKesson/whatever you call it, then you could probably keep it in a corridor somewhere.

[LifelongDream]

Our narcs are brought by code team from ER. Crash cart is in hallway next to nurses station.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Ours is in front of the nurse's station. It has breakaway locks with the meds already in them. Unplug and run is all we have to do when a code is called on our floor.

[schack]

We keep one in the nursery and one in our nurses station. Both have plastic break-away locks. I wouldn't want to have to unlock my crash cart....