I am wondering how most of your teams cart supplies around the hospital, and how many people it takes to transport them. Our team members work alone........there is only 1 person on a day, so that person is alone transporting both the ultrasound and a 2 tier wire basket cart throughout the hospital that contains all our supplies for PICC insertions.  Just wondering what other teams are doing, and how much supplies they are taking with them----the US machine AND a cart, or just the US machine, or are there always 2 people working together????
Looking for suggestions that would help us carry drapes, gowns, gloves, sterile towels, probe cover/needleguide sets, US gel bottles, microintroducer sets, and 7 PICC kits.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Lesha Seaver,
IV Team
Liberty Hospital, Liberty, MO
we demanded and got our supply and distribution to put all picc supplies on each floor...yes, each size picc, micro introducers,...everything!..this was not only a huge help, but helped with billing the correct supplies to a specific floor
cathie
We have a 4 member team for a 289 bed hospital. Usually have 2 PICC nurses assigned each day however we mostly work independently. Our team has 2 portable ultrasounds and 2 carts (4 drawer) to place our supplies. Each cart is initially stocked with 8 full PICC insert kits (3 6fr TL, 3 5fr DL, & 2 5fr SL) and more than enough supplemental supplies for insertions. I like to have the ability to insert 5 PICC's without restocking. Check with your Clinical Resource Manager in Materials to research the carts prices, plenty are available at a reasonable price to avoid a capital budget request. Our carts are essential and can be used to open up the insertion tray on top when space is limited. We push the cart and pull the ultrasound at the same time, with practice it is not difficult plus you can get a core work out. Our wound care team have copied the cart set up with plenty of supplies. We carry a supply charge sheet and scan bar codes at point of use to charge supplies. Also cable lock laptops to cart so documentation and xray viewing is done wirelessly and concurrent. Have fun!
Timothy L. Creamer, RN
Essential Vascular Access, P.A.
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
Clinical Educator, Bard Access Systems
Timothy L. Creamer, RN
Clinical Specialist, Bard Access Systems
Gina Ward R.N., C.P.A.N
We also use a locking cart from Armstrong. We keep it stocked with picc kits, gowns , drapes, sterile gloves, hair covers, etc... all the supplies we need to insert. On the back we have a little wire basket to keep "picc charts" with us. We use the top of the cart ( has a side flap that lifts up) for insertion of piccs to hold all our supplies. We have a large sharps bin on the side to hold all sharps at the end of the procedure. We also push the ultrasound and pull the cart with the other arm.
This system works great for us. We have our supplies ordered in under Surgical Services ( I am a PACU nurse) and then after picc is done, we enter in the charge numbers for each supply used. ( old system but works well for us)
We also keep our caps and dressing supplies in that cart. This way while we are waiting on xray results we can be changing caps and doing the needed dressing changes. We are a small 102 bed hospital so I insert all the piccs , and do all the picc dressing changes and cap changes. It works well that way.
Gina Ward R.N., C.P.A.N.
Gina Ward R.N., VA-BC
Chris Cavanaugh, RN, BSN, CRNI, VA-BC
Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI
I'd like to see what the Herman Miller cart you're using looks like. Can you post a link or a picture? Ours is Armstrong and serving us OK but is pretty heavy for some staff to push around. 'Easily pushing the cart with one hand' does not apply........
Thanks!
Alma Kooistra RN, CRNI
Cheryl Kelley RN BSN, VA-BC
Alma, sorry I did not get back to you on this! Go to HermanMiller.com. They have a lot of procedure/supply carts that can be customized to your needs. Ours is 42" high and 24" wide and originally came with 2-3" drawers, 1 - 6" drawer, and 2- 9" drawers. There is a flip-up shelf on one side, and a holder for a sharps contanier on the other. It has baskets on top (raised above the surface of the cart for additional supplies.
Since we first got it, we have reconfigured it quite a bit as we went to full-procedure trays, so we don't use the big drawers anymore, but place the kits in their space. We also had our maintenance guys put some plastic document holders onto the back which handle our full drapes.
Herman Miller allows you to configure a cart in any way that you want so it meets your needs. One person easily pushes the cart with one hand and the ultrasound with the other. And no, I have no connection with the company! :)
Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI
For those who use Armstrong Cart, If you "pull it" behind you while you are pushing the Ultrasound in front of you, it is very easy.
I like the armstrong cart with the extra attachments of two Bin rows an IV pole. It holds every possible item I need. The trick though is to pull the cart, not to push it.
When reading this post, I wonder about how many are locked. My understanding about JCAHO requirements are that drugs (saline and lidocaine in some PICC trays) are required to be locked. Also, needles are to be locked and not accessible to anyone but staff.
If your cart doesn't lock, how are you doing with JCAHO reviews?
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Victoria Sallese, RN, VAT, PICC service
We are very lucky to have 2 nurses per team. We cart around a Site-Rite and a cart (it's a long shopping cart type of affair, 2 tiers). We cart around PICC's, and most of our equipment, on the adult side. The peds side has just a Site-Rite to cart around. Their equipment is on their units.
Victoria Sallese, RN, VAT, PICC service
I haven't had anyone respond about "locked" carts being required by JCAHO. We are under the impression that carts must be locked, due to having kits with meds (saline is a med and lidocaine in kits is a med).
How are you handling this?
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Gwen,
1) Are you using the Bard Sherlock PICC kits and 2) do your kits have the Lidocaine and sodium chloride included? Thanks, Cindy Hunchusky, RN,CRNI
Cindy Hunchusky, BSN, RN, CRNI
Our previous system of having supplies for insertions were in plastic boxes that supplemented the trays composition. They were not locked with anything but a plastic lock like used on many crash carts. This doesn't meet our understanding of JCAHO securement in having meds (saline and lidocaine 1%) and needles not accessible to anyone else, but us.
We now are transitioning to carts that are locked. The carts have the supplemental supplies and additional needles and saline.
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Gwen, we use Armstrong carts with a keyed lock that secures all 4 drawers. Wearing the key on our namebadge (attached to a retractable ID holder) has been convenient. A combination lock would be most convenient but with upgraded locking systems comes upgraded pricies. Our Bard full trays do not contain Lidocaine or saline anymore but we still keep carts locked when unattended and single vials of Lidocaine stocked on board as well as extra needles and PIV catheters.
Timothy L. Creamer, RN
PICC Team Leader, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point
Clinical Educator, Bard Access Systems
Timothy L. Creamer, RN
Clinical Specialist, Bard Access Systems
Robbin George RN VA-BC
We have 2 hooks on the front of our cart. We have our ultrasound bungied on there. We carry 8 picc kits and all the supplies and it works quite well. We also only have one person on a day.
Paula Campbell RNBC, CRNI
Intravenous Resource Nurse
When I needed a cart, I just re-purposed an old crash cart that was sitting around. It locks. It is indestructable and you can hang any configuration of accessories you would like on it. It will carry all of the supplies for 6 PICC procedures easily. It also can serve as a table in a pinch. It is heavy to pull while pushing a SiteRite. But should there be an earthquake or terrorist attack, I know if I kneel next to it I will survive.
Daniel Juckette RN, CCRN, VA-BC