A crash cart is a mobile trolley used in hospitals to store and dispense life-saving equipment and medications during medical emergencies. First created in 1962, crash carts typically contain essential tools for treating cardiac arrest, including monitors, defibrillators, and various emergency drugs. The design and contents of crash carts may vary by facility, but they are crucial for enhancing emergency response and ensuring staff familiarity with necessary equipment.

1. CRASH CART
CRASH CART
A crash cart is the trolley
A crash cart is the trolley
for storing life saving
for storing life saving
equipment
equipment
and drugs in a hospital
and drugs in a hospital
emergency
emergency
room, intense
room, intense
unit,clinics
unit,clinics
and other areas.
and other areas.

2. HISTORY
HISTORY
 The first cardiac crash cart was created
The first cardiac crash cart was created
in 1962 at Bethany Medical Center in
in 1962 at Bethany Medical Center in
Kansas City, Kansas, home to the first
, home to the first
Cardiac Care Unit in the country. The
Cardiac Care Unit in the country. The
first crash cart was fabricated by one of
first crash cart was fabricated by one of
the doctor's fathers. It contained an
the doctor's fathers. It contained an
Ambu bag, defibrillator paddles, a bed
, defibrillator paddles, a bed
board and endotracheal tubes.
board and endotracheal tubes.

3.  A
A crash cart
crash cart or
or code cart
code cart (
(crash
crash
trolley
trolley in UK medical jargon) is a set of
in UK medical jargon) is a set of
trays/drawers/shelves on wheels used
trays/drawers/shelves on wheels used
in hospitals for transportation and
in hospitals for transportation and
dispensing of emergency
dispensing of emergency
medication/equipment at site of
medication/equipment at site of
medical/surgical emergency for life
medical/surgical emergency for life
support protocols (
support protocols (ACLS/
/ALS) to
) to
potentially save someone's life.
potentially save someone's life.

4. CHARACTERISTICS
CHARACTERISTICS
 Easily movable
Easily movable
 Readily accessible
Readily accessible
 Quickly viewing
Quickly viewing
 Removing equipment & drugs
Removing equipment & drugs

5.  The contents off a crash cart vary from hospital to
The contents off a crash cart vary from hospital to
hospital, but typically contain the tools and drugs
hospital, but typically contain the tools and drugs
needed to treat a person in or near
needed to treat a person in or near cardiac arrest
. These include but are not limited to:
. These include but are not limited to:

Monitor/
Monitor/defibrillators and suction devices
and suction devices
 Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) drugs such
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) drugs such
as
as epinephrine,
, atropine,
, amiodarone,
, lidocaine,
,
sodium bicarbonate,
, dopamine, and
, and vasopressin
 First line drugs for treatment of common
First line drugs for treatment of common
problems such as:
problems such as: adenosine,
, dextrose,
, diazepam
or
or midazolam, epinephrine for IM
, epinephrine for IM
use,naloxone, nitroglycerin, and others
use,naloxone, nitroglycerin, and others

6.  Drugs for rapid sequence
Drugs for rapid sequence
intubation: Succinylcholine or
intubation: Succinylcholine or
another paralytic, and a sedative such
another paralytic, and a sedative such
as etomidate or midazolam;endotracheal
as etomidate or midazolam;endotracheal
tubes and other intubating equipment
tubes and other intubating equipment
 Drugs for peripheral and central venous access
Drugs for peripheral and central venous access
 Pediatric equipment (common pediatric drugs,
Pediatric equipment (common pediatric drugs,
intubation equipment, etc.)
intubation equipment, etc.)
 Other drugs and equipment as chosen by the
Other drugs and equipment as chosen by the
facility
facility

7. PURPOSES
PURPOSES
 1.To enhance the Code Blue team’s response to
1.To enhance the Code Blue team’s response to
patients with emergency medical situations by
patients with emergency medical situations by
providing immediate access to supplies and
providing immediate access to supplies and
medications.
medications.
 2.An emergency cart or crash cart is a cart that
2.An emergency cart or crash cart is a cart that
facilitates coordination of emergency
facilitates coordination of emergency
equipment.
equipment.
 3.A specific crash cart type facilitates staff
3.A specific crash cart type facilitates staff
familiarity with equipment
familiarity with equipment

8.  4.It is help to ensure a properly stocked
4.It is help to ensure a properly stocked
emergency cart will be readily available
emergency cart will be readily available
 5.It also ensures a properly functioning
5.It also ensures a properly functioning
defibrillator will be readily available.
defibrillator will be readily available.
 6.It helps to save the valuable time at
6.It helps to save the valuable time at
the time of emergency.
the time of emergency.

9. SET UP OF TROLLEY
SET UP OF TROLLEY

10. TOP
TOP

11. SIDE OF THE CART
SIDE OF THE CART

12. BACK SIDE OF THE CRASH CART
BACK SIDE OF THE CRASH CART

13. TOP DRAWER - MEDICATIONS
TOP DRAWER - MEDICATIONS

14. 2nd DRAWER – ADULT
2nd DRAWER – ADULT
INTUBATION SUPPLIES
INTUBATION SUPPLIES

15. 3rd DRAWER – PEDS
3rd DRAWER – PEDS
INTUBATION SUPPLIES
INTUBATION SUPPLIES

16. 4th DRAWER – PEDS
4th DRAWER – PEDS
MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES
MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES

17. 5th DRAWER– IV AND BLOOD
5th DRAWER– IV AND BLOOD
DRAW SUPPLIES
DRAW SUPPLIES

18. 6th DRAWER – IV SOLUTION
6th DRAWER – IV SOLUTION
AND TUBING
AND TUBING

19. 7th DRAWER – PROCEDURE
7th DRAWER – PROCEDURE
TRAYS AND MISCELLANEOUS
TRAYS AND MISCELLANEOUS
SUPPLIES
SUPPLIES

20. LARYNGOSCOPE
LARYNGOSCOPE

22. AMBU BAG
AMBU BAG