8 Things You Need In Your Crash Cart (Medical Supplies)

Crash carts aren’t just for emergency rooms. State regulations require facilities like hospitals, surgery centers, urgent care centers, and any medical center that provides conscious sedation to have one on hand, but they should be available at any facility where patients’ conditions could suddenly deteriorate. That includes physicians’ offices, skilled nursing homes, drug and alcohol rehabs, and even physical therapy facilities.

While the contents of crash carts vary somewhat depending on what kind of patients the facility treats, there are a few things that no crash cart should be without. Read on to find out about eight of the most essential pieces of equipment that every crash cart must contain.

1. A Defibrillator or AED

One of the most essential pieces of equipment found on any crash cart is a defibrillator or AED. AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, are portable and easy to use, making them popular in locations where not all personnel are medically trained. Regular defibrillators are more common on the Crash Carts Medical facilities use since they allow rescuers to adjust energy levels and determine when the shocks should be delivered, but they require more specialized training. Crash carts should also include monitoring equipment.

2. Medications to Treat Cardiac Arrest

There are several types of medications used to treat cardiac arrest. Adrenaline is typically the first pharmaceutical intervention for cardiac arrest, but other medications may also be required. These may include amiodarone, lidocaine, Atropine, and others.

3. Medications to Treat Cardiac Dysrhythmias

Cardiac dysrhythmias, also known as arrhythmias, occur when a patient’s heartbeat becomes irregular. Medications such as adenosine, Cardizem, Lopressor, and Atropine can help resolve arrhythmias and are typically given intravenously in hospital settings. Offices that perform certain types of stress testing may need to carry additional antiarrhythmic medications in their crash carts.

4. Medications to Treat Allergic Reactions

Serious allergic reactions can be fatal. Crash carts should always include medications like EpiPens, Solu-Medrol, or Benadryl that can quickly resolve serious allergic reactions involving anaphylaxis.

5. Basic Airway Equipment

Every crash cart should include basic airway equipment. The equipment should include nasal cannulas, nasal airways, oral airways, oxygen masks, and bag valve masks. Facilities with anesthesia personnel should also keep endotracheal intubation equipment in their crash carts, while those without anesthesia personnel should keep King Airways in the cart.

6. IV Access Equipment

Every crash cart should have the necessary equipment for ensuring intravenous access. This includes not just IV tubing equipment and fluids, but also angiocaths. Facilities that administer emergency medications intraosseously instead of intravenously should also have needles and a drill in their crash carts.

7. Nitroglycerin Spray

Nitroglycerin is a vasodilator used to treat chest pain in patients with coronary artery disease. It relaxes the blood vessels, which makes it possible for the heart to pump blood through the patient’s system without as much oxygen. Crash carts should always contain either nitroglycerin tablets or spray.

8. Sedation Reversal

Any medical facility that uses narcotics or sedation or that treats patients with opiate addictions should keep Narcan in the cart. Nursing homes should also have Narcan on hand since many residents use opioid medications for chronic pain.

The Bottom Line

Crash carts are designed to provide everything required to help a patient through a sudden, life-threatening health event. Make sure to include all the necessary items listed above and organize them so they are easy to find.