Bring these items to avert transport emergency
At Cincinnati-based University Hospital, a "travel box" contains advanced airway equipment and medications that may be needed when a patient is transported from the ED to another department, says Marti Capizzi, RN, BSN, an ED nurse at the facility. The supplies are kept in a large tackle box, which is used when a potentially unstable patient needs to be transported out of the ED for a diagnostic procedure such as a computed tomography or angiography.
"The contents allow for cost containment by preventing a crash cart from being opened for one or two supplies needed," says Capizzi. Capizzi explains that the transport stretcher always has an oxygen tank on the shelf below. A portable cardiac monitor, including blood pressure and oxygen saturation monitoring, is attached to the bed rail. Transport medications are kept in an automatic medication dispensing system under "travel box." If the travel box is not returned to the unit, a charge slip is generated, says Capizzi.
Here is a list of the travel box’s contents.
• Top pull-out tray: Four packages of 4" by 4" sterile gauze dressing; 3-inch elastic bandage; tape; soft restraints; IV start kit; injection caps; electrodes; 22-, 20-, and 18-gauge angiocaths — two of each; alcohol preps; adhesive bandages; needles; gloves; tonsil suction; oral/nasal airway; 3-cc, 10-cc tuberculin syringe — two of each; and normal saline injection.
• Lower pull-out tray: Laryngoscope handle and blades, 7.5 and 8.0 endotracheal tubes, stylet, and cloth tracheotomy tape.
• Bottom bin: Ambu bag, oxygen mask and cannula, carbon dioxide detector, 1 liter normal saline, and IV tubing.
• Travel medications (in preloaded syringes): Dextrose 50%, 25 g; sodium bicarbonate 50 mEq; atropine, 1 mg; epinephrine 1:10,000, 1 mg; lidocaine 2%, 100 mg; calcium chloride 2% 1 g; vercuronium, 10-mg bottle, unreconstituted.
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