A Four-Stage Method for Optimizing and Standardizing a Crash Cart Configuration

Abstract

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATION An optimized crash cart configuration was developed through the use of human factors principles and by involving front-line users of crash carts in the design process from start to finish. The crash cart configuration was spread to four rural health care sites and received positive post-evaluation scores by clinical staff. The methodology used to develop the standardized crash cart, and the template for the configuration of the crash cart, can be adopted or adapted for use at any health care facility and can help in the mitigation of human error. Specifically, disorganized and/or inconsistent crash carts pose a patient safety risk due to the fact that retrieval of items may be delayed during critical situations. Implementing a tested, standardized crash cart configuration can increase the usability of the carts, which has significant patient safety implications during time-sensitive incidents such as code blue events.

KEYWORDS:

• crash cart
• resuscitation trolley
• standardization
• patient safety
• code blue

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge Ashley Schefter, Carlene Green, Wendy LeMoal, Steven Rideout, and the clinical committee and front-line clinicians for their contributions.

Additional information

Funding

The authors completed this work as part of their normal role as human factors specialists within Alberta Health Services. No additional funding was sought or obtained. The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of Alberta Health Services.