Medical carts can be found in just about every healthcare setting. Doctors, nurses, aides, and other healthcare workers use them to improve efficiency by keeping track of medications, delivering equipment with greater ease, and more. Read on to find out about the seven types of medical carts typically found in a hospital setting.
- Medicine Supply Carts
Medicine supply carts are some of the most vital types of Hospital Carts. They allow nurses to transport patients’ medications to and from their rooms and keep them safe both while they’re in transit and at rest. Modern medicine supply carts feature automatically locking drawers, electronic tracking systems, and other security measures to cut back on drug diversion and make it easier to log medication distribution.
- Crash Carts
Crash carts also referred to as code carts, are designed to help doctors treat serious medical emergencies. Every code cart must be meticulously organized so that doctors and other healthcare providers can find everything they need immediately. They’re also smaller than some supply carts because they need to be easy to transport even in challenging situations.
- Point-of-Care Carts
Point-of-care carts travel with nurses and other medical professionals, making it easier for them to optimize the performance of their routine duties. The carts usually feature secure computers for logging patient information, diagnostic testing equipment, and other basic supplies. Because point-of-care carts see a ton of use, they’re usually made from durable, easy-to-clean materials that can be sterilized between shifts to prevent the transfer of contaminants between different patients and staff members.
- Bedside Carts
Like point-of-care carts, bedside carts are designed to accompany nurses to patients’ bedsides. They usually feature computers for logging treatments and may be used to store certain medications to reduce trips to the pharmacy or supply room. Bedside carts are usually smaller and less specialized than point-of-care carts.
- IV Carts
All IV carts carry some form of IV equipment, but beyond that, they can be quite different. Some are small, maneuverable units designed to travel with patients when they get out of bed. Others look and function more like code carts, with locking drawers for storing supplies like IV bags and commonly used fluids. Most hospital units have multiple IV carts that vary in function and appearance.
- Anesthesia Carts
Anesthesia carts are designed to transport the medical supplies required by anesthesiologists to operation rooms. They feature locking drawers for the safe storage of potentially dangerous anesthetics and medical tools and are constructed using durable materials that can withstand heavy-duty disinfectants between each trip to the operating room.
- Computer Workstations
Some medical carts are used exclusively to log patient information. They’re sometimes referred to as mobile computer workstations. Modern workstations can even be equipped to handle telehealth visits.
Choosing the Right Carts
No matter what type of medical carts a hospital needs to purchase, quality and patient safety should always be the top priorities. All medical carts should be constructed from durable, easy to clean materials, and those that will be used to carry sensitive medications, potentially dangerous medical tools, or patient records should feature electronically locking drawers. Once hospital administrators find the right carts to suit their facilities’ needs, they should also provide training to employees on how to use and maintain them correctly.