What are the issues with emergency crash carts?
2 Answers
Emergency crash carts have the following problems: Inconsistent placement of items: There are significant differences in the arrangement of medications, supplies, and equipment on crash carts across departments; Defibrillator placement is unreasonable; Nursing management is time-consuming and labor-intensive (each shift must inventory medications, supplies, and equipment quantities and check quality). Wide variety of emergency medications: Crash carts are stocked with various emergency medications: anti-shock drugs, vasoactive drugs, respiratory stimulants, cardiotonics, hemostatics, antipyretics and analgesics, hormones, diuretics and dehydrating agents, volume expanders, antidotes, etc. The number of medication types can reach up to 29. Wide variety of emergency supplies: Crash carts contain various emergency supplies: ventilation equipment (such as ventilators, manual resuscitation bags, tongue forceps, mouth gags, tongue depressors, oropharyngeal airways, oxygen pillows, etc.); various sterile packs (such as tracheostomy kits, venous cutdown kits, urinary catheterization kits, etc.); various injection supplies (such as syringes, emergency needles, infusion/blood transfusion pressure devices, etc.); other specialized items (such as Sengstaken-Blakemore tubes, emergency lights, gloves, ice caps, power strips, etc.). Moreover, the types of emergency supplies vary greatly across departments, with the highest number reaching 40 types in some departments.
As someone who frequently drives rescue vehicles, I find ambulances to be plagued with numerous issues. Older models often break down mid-route, with engines prone to overheating or malfunctioning, especially during summer heat or long-distance missions in mountainous areas. The headlights aren't bright enough, making nighttime driving hazardous due to poor visibility. Additionally, the communication systems frequently drop signals, preventing critical medical information from reaching hospitals. Spare parts are hard to come by, and repairs can take days, delaying patient treatment. What's more frustrating is the cramped interior space, making stretcher movement difficult and uncomfortable for patients. I recommend regular comprehensive fleet maintenance, upgrading to new energy vehicles, enhancing cooling and lighting systems to ensure smooth life-saving operations every time. After all, time is life, and these flaws cannot be overlooked.
