Definition of a Crash Cart
A crash cart is a wheeled cart with drawers stocked with medical supplies used for emergencies outside of an emergency room. They are most commonly used to help medical personnel quickly respond to people who have gone into cardiac arrest, which is often referred to as the patient having "crashed," according to the Free Dictionary website.
Locations
Crash carts are used in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes as well as in ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Crash carts can be used anywhere that medical personnel work.
Devices
Medical devices on crash carts can include cardiac defibrillators, cardiac monitors, oxygen masks, oxygen tanks, blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes.
Drugs
Many drugs are kept in the drawers of a crash cart, including, insulin, epinephrine, Benadryl, nitroglycerin, and various anesthetics and painkillers.
Miscellaneous Items
Other items needed on crash carts include gloves, syringes, bandages, medical tape, alcohol swabs, sponges and tourniquets.
Organization
Making sure crash carts are fully stocked and neatly organized is essential to saving minutes or even seconds that are critical to saving lives in an emergency. Medical personnel use checklists to make sure that each item is in its proper place after each time it is used.
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