Who is responsible to check the emergency cart?

[tony2020]

I work in a short term rehab center as a cna, my DON wants me to check the emergency cart before I start my shift every time. I don't mind to go through the check list and make sure everything is ready and in good condition. However, I have a question - usually who is responsible for checking emergency cart in your facility? Or anyone could do it....

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Nurses at night. Whoever has the time. Eventually it gets done.

[Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Charge nurse on 3rd shift checks our crash cart and test the defibrillator.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Ours are locked with a board on top that we check off. We make sure nothing needs changed out by the dates on the clipboard. Pharmacy takes care of the meds.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

in our critical care units we were staffed so there were three nurses per two 2-bed rooms, one in each room and the extra nurse floated between the others for breaks, help, supplies, and whatnot. we all took turns at floating-- we kept track so it was fair-- and the float nurses checked the carts q shift. that way everyone knew what was on them and where and could grab it automatically, a big advantage if you're in an emergency situation. if it's just the night shift or just the charge nurse...what if s/he's off today? does everyone take relief charge often enough to be automatic using the cart? are your new people really good at using that cart? probably not.

and what's with "the crash cart is somewhere else entirely, the emergency cart is all we have on the floor"? oh, boy, i'd love to see how that one plays out in court.

[blackandyellow]

I work in an ICU as a CNA and we are responsible for checking the carts. Pharmacy handles the medications and the charge nurse on second shift checks the defibrillator. We have to check the cart once a week and after every use. We use to check the defibrillator years ago but someone messed that up so it is strictly nurses who check it where I work now.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

In my facility, the 11-7 nurse checks the cart. I keep telling them to get a big piece of plastic and wrap the thing up. Tie the whole thing and you only need to check it if the tie has been opened.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

The charge nurse usually assigns one nurse per each daily (we have two on our floor). I don't know the regs, but we have defibrillators on ours, so I don't think it would be appropriate to have CNAs check them.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

and what's with "the crash cart is somewhere else entirely, the emergency cart is all we have on the floor"? oh, boy, i'd love to see how that one plays out in court.

the crash cart comes with the code team. our code team usually arrives within 1- 2 minutes of a code being called. our code team is assume - they respond very quickly to a code blue - and quickly take over and do everything possible. the rapid resonse team is also great and will help prevent code blues.

there is no point in having a fully stocked "crash cart" on every unit - we can't give drugs without an md present, with can't use the debrillator without an md present. keeping crash carts up to date - drugs, etc - is costly. our emergency cart can go months without being used - keeping drugs up to date would mean spending money that could be used elsewhere. in fact, the majority of our code blues are called because families/pts refuse a dnr order due to personal/religous beliefs - the majority of codes we have been involved with are "do enough to keep the family happy" because we know there is no postive outcome to an 85 year old person who is aleady in hospital due to a stroke/mi/whatever will survive a code.

there is no point in nurses on an sub-acute unit anything beyong basic cpr skills because we don't use them enough to remain competent. if a patient is declining we either a) transfer them before a crisis occurs or 2) get a dnr order. our pt population trands towards the elderly that would probably not survive a code under that best of circumstances.

of course, i am in canada - we don't jump on the "sue the hospital" band wagon as quickly as you do in the usa so that might account for the differences.

[sarah.e.foley]

Where I work, a med/onc unit at a hospital, the crash cart (or code blue cart) is sent down to stat stores after each code incident/emergency and a new full one is brought back up with a "lock tag" on it (you have to break the seal to open the cart drawers- that way we know if anything in there has been used or stolen and the cart needs to be restocked). Since it is "locked" the only things that need to be checked are on the outside- the defibrilator and it needs to be verified that there is a full O2 tank on the back. Since things are done this way, I suppose that anyone on our unit could do the checklist, but it is technically the duty of the charge nurse (each shift), though she could delegate it to someone else if needed.

[BelgianRN]

In theory it is the task of the night nurses to check the cart and draw up fresh code meds (epi and ephedrine) daily. But if they don't have time or haven't done it (usually the case) the charge nurse of the day has to do it.

And I'll generally pass the honor of checking the cart to the new nurses in the department until they can dream where everything is. I hate it when they start running all over the place for stuff that's in the crash cart.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

A lot will depend on country, state, province and facility requirements. I would say though if you are checking equipment out do you know what they are and how they are used so you can check they are functioning properly?

[avo_921]

ICU Tech... We do.  I'm familiar with the inside as well, which helps.  Many times people do not notice it has been "cracked" or is missing this or that.  Know how to plug the pads into the connector because I have seen residents jump in and not know how to connect pads.