What Are the Contents of an Emergency Cart?

Emergency carts, also known as crash carts, are found in all hospitals and emergency rooms and contain supplies and equipment necessary to treat life-threatening situations. Contents range from rubber gloves and medication to defibrillators.

Function

• The function of a crash cart is to provide a mobile station within the hospital that contains everything needed to treat a life-threatening situation. The advantage of mobility is that it allows the treatment to come to the patient when needed.

Medication

• Emergency carts contain a variety of medications to treat an even wider variety of ailments. The top drawer contains atropine, adenosine, calcium, epinephrine and benadryl, while the second drawer contains glucagon, vasopressin, nitroglycerine, dopamine and amiodarone.

Equipment

• In addition to drugs, crash carts also contain equipment that may become necessary in life-threatening situations. The top of the cart houses a defibrillator, a suction machine and an oxygen tank while the lower drawers contain syringes, medical tubing and rubber gloves.