From hospitals to nursing homes, healthcare facilities everywhere have a unique set of needs. Most people know that medical carts help to meet the diverse requirements of healthcare environments, but what not everyone realizes is that there are actually many types of carts available. Read on to find out about the most useful and popular of them.
IV Carts
Also known as phlebotomy carts, IV carts are used to carry the equipment required to draw blood and insert intravenous lines. They can be customized to meet different healthcare facilities’ needs, but all IV carts allow for the bulk storage of IV bags and feature organized bins and multiple drawers. IV carts can be found in just about every hospital as well as clinics, urgent care facilities, and other healthcare environments.
Crash Carts
Crash carts are designed for easy use during emergency situations. Sometimes referred to as code carts, they come equipped with all the medical equipment and supplies required to handle emergencies expediently, plus the medications needed to treat urgent health complications. Every medical facility is a little different, so there’s no one crash cart configuration that’s appropriate for all situations. Crash carts are usually customized to meet each healthcare environment’s needs.
Anesthesia Carts
Found primarily in operating rooms and on surgical floors, anesthesia carts are used by anesthesiologists to carry the tools of their trade. Anesthesia carts always feature locked drawers to keep potentially dangerous medications safe. These days, most are also equipped with computer workstations that allow anesthesiologists to check patients’ information and identify potential allergies, medication interactions, and other complications.
Bedside Carts
Bedside carts are designed to hold the supplies required by nurses and other healthcare providers administering care at a patient’s bedside. Most feature drawers, some of which have locking capabilities, and some also feature removable workstation tops. These more advanced models can be used by healthcare professionals during exams and patients once the providers leave the room.
Medication Carts
Just about every healthcare facility has at least a few medication carts. These carts typically feature more locking drawers and additional safety features to assist with the accurate, efficient delivery of medications to patients. Most carts also feature monitors that let nurses and aides log the dispensing of medications, plus dosing boxes and electronic locking systems for each drawer.
Point-of-Care Carts
Point-of-care (POC) carts are equipped with mounted monitors, keyboards, portable batteries, and lockable storage drawers. Their primary purpose is to facilitate the logging of patient information by care workers. These lightweight carts must be easy to adjust and move and made from durable, sanitary materials.
Quality Is Key
When it comes to choosing the right medical carts, the quality of construction is just as important as specialized features. Look for a vendor that specializes in medical equipment supply and check the features on each cart to make sure it will be a good fit for its intended purpose before placing an order. There may also be custom options available for unique situations, so don’t be afraid to reach out to an expert in the field for further advice.