If a doctor, nurse, or another healthcare professional is forced to use an organized medical cart, it may reduce their treatment time, while increasing stress and frustration. By building certain habits to keep a medical cart organized, it’s possible to maintain an effective and productive work environment.
It’s important to note, the way a medical cart is organized will depend on the main function. Emergencies, anesthesia, medications, IV administration, and providing patient care all require a healthcare professional to easily access the supplies that are needed. Having an organized medical cart is crucial to maintain an environment that is sanitary because if supplies are mixed up or if they aren’t properly disposed of, infections may spread to other parts of the medical facility.
The good news is, there are several tips that can help. Keep reading to learn how to keep any medical cart, from anesthesia carts to emergency carts and more organized and ready to use.
1. Supplies and Storage
It’s a good idea to keep the larger equipment that is needed, such as an oxygen tank, on the exterior of the cart. This will allow someone using the cart to access them easily, especially if they are used often. Usually, these carts will have other options, too, to add additional cart organizers, such as baskets on the exterior of the cart. This ensures that the bigger items won’t take up too much space.
Another important part of cart organization is keeping the storage drawers and shelves organized. These parts of the cart can become disorganized after a single-use. As a result, it’s a good idea to reorganize often and keep the supplies that are used most often together. This will reduce the number of compartments that must be opened when working with a patient.
It’s also a good idea to separate the drawers based on their function, which is going to improve the ability to treat patients quickly. Using drawer separators will help ensure supplies don’t get mixed up.
2. Keep the Cart Well-Stocked
The last thing a person wants to have to deal with is to open one of the drawers to discover the supply needed isn’t there. Before every shift, it’s a good idea to go through all of the supplies to make sure that everything that may be needed is accounted for. One way to make sure that no one runs out of the equipment and supplies needed is by restocking everything at the end of the shift.
3. Label Everything
More than one person may use the same medical cart. As a result, it’s a good idea to label the drawers and shelves so different users know where to look for and find the supplies they need. This will reduce the amount of time spent looking for supplies.
4. Remove any Hazardous Items
Take time to identify where all hazardous materials on the cart are located. Also, make sure these items are stored in a lower drawer that includes dual-locking abilities. It’s also smart to have an on-board sharps container to ensure no issues arise from the disposal of these items.
By using the tips and information here, it will be possible to keep medical carts organized and ready to use. This is beneficial for all healthcare workers to ensure that patients can receive the treatment needed in a timely manner.
