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kimberly kay
Use of baskets and or carts in Hospital

         Our Vascular Access Nursing Dept, is looking in to ways of carrying our equipment around the hospital. We would like information from hospitals based IV teams. What are you using, carts, baskets ect? What are your cleaning procedures, and how are you maintaining the needles being locked? Are you also concerning the physical impact of the equipment on the nurses? The supplies would be for perphieral IV's, and maintenance of central Lines.

Thank you

Kim Kay

Gina Ward
carts for picc supplies

 

I work at a small 105 bed hospital.  I do all the PICC line insertions, trouble shooting and maintence.   Since we started the PICC process here I have used a large  locking cart from Armstrong.  It is similiar to a Craftsman tool cart on wheels.  I have a needle bin to dispose of needles and sharps mounted on one side of it.  Hand sanitizer mounted on a side of it , and it has a table that flips up on the side of it as well.  I use the cart and the extended table as my back table for my insertions.  It moves very easily and I walk around the hospital all day long pushing  my ultrsound probe with my left hand and pulling my cart behind me with my right hand.  It works great, in fact many people offer to help when they see me but I can do it easier without help.  You know how you get used to taking a wide turn etc and when people try to help it doesnt go well.   :)   When I first started I wanted to come up with some kind of trailer hitch or something to hook my us probe on my cart with but now it is just fine.  They are both very light and move great on the wheels.

 

In the cart I have a wire basket that hangs off the back where I keep all my pre made charts with all  needed documentation, my screening tools etc.   In the drawers I keep several of every supply I would or may need. There are 6 drawers in the cart.  I keep iin one drawer all my sterile needle guides and extra microintroducers.  (they come in the kit, but I have dropped or contaminated one before and needed an extra).  Next drawer is my statlocks, biopatchs, and assorted supplies for dressing changes, flushing lines etc and extra face masks and hair covers in case I get an observer or assistant.  There are 3 very large drawers where I keep in one drawer six; 5 fr dual lumen picc kits,  the other drawer I keep all my 6fr triple lumens, the other drawer all my suppplies for maximum barrier precautions.  Top thin drawer is my  "junk drawer".  This cart has worked out great , especially because I am an one man team.  So in  case I contaminate something or need other supplies, they are always avail, of course have to change gloves, and sometime gown to maintain sterility.

 

After I insert and leave the room I take our little sanitary wipe/cleaning solultion ( that I keep in my us basket)  and clean the entire surface of the cart as well as my picc ultrasound , cords, pole etc.  I also clean the surface of the patients table I will be using for there arm to rest on and the surface of my picc cart prior to use as well. 

Hope it helps!!  Gina

 

Gina Ward R.N., VA-BC

paul
Gina, OOH RAH! You must

Gina,

OOH RAH! You must work-out!   Let your central supply work for you. Have your products stocked on the units/floors stock room, in your cart.  All you need to do is bring your U/S with you. 

Paul Howell

mta1976
I have the site rite 6

I have the site rite 6 ultrasound. It has a basket on the bottom for storing larger items, a drawer under the keyboard, and another smaller basket behind the unit. I keep a couple PICC kits in the bottom with some dressing change kits and sanitizer wipes. Gloves, tourniquettes, US gel and misc in the other basket. And I keep all my needles, syringes, caps, and other small misc in the locking drawer. I have to travel quick and light. I find it better/easier than lugging around a larger/heavier cart plus I'm young and want my back to stay in good shape for a while. If I have to take the US in the room I will give it a wipe down, otherwise I just take the necessary items in the room so I don't have to clean. :)

 

Mike

kimberly kay
update to question

I am sorry, I meant Supplies for Perhiperal IV's

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