HospitalInspections.org

Remains Cited

Based on observation and staff interview the hospital failed to ensure a safe environment by failing to ensure that all crash carts / defibrillators located in an outpatient cancer area were checked on a daily basis per recommendations. This affected three of five crash carts on the unit. The hospital census at the time of the survey was 433 patients.


Findings include:
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On 10/02/12 at 11:00 AM an observation in the Barrett Cancer Center revealed five crash carts with defibrillators kept in various areas of this outpatient facility. Review of the crash cart logs revealed for two of the crash carts the logs were not completed on a daily basis every week since 2009 and for one of the crash carts the log was not completed daily and at times completed only one time a week from April 2012 through present (10/02/12).

All of the crash cart logs lacked documentation of consistent daily monitoring. The crash cart logs revealed three of the five crash cart logs lacked documentation that the crash carts and defibrillators were checked on a daily basis by the nursing staff who were responsible for checking the crash carts and filling out the logs (a crash cart is a mobile storage system outfitted with wheels and filled with medication and equipment commonly used to initiate advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) procedures, respiratory support procedures, and general medical supplies. A defibrillator is a key component of any crash cart. A cardiac defibrillator uses an electrical charge to enable the heart to correct disrupted rhythm. Manufacturers recommend daily defibrillator checks).


This finding was verified with Staff S 10/02/12 at 12:15 PM. Staff S stated that the nursing staff was responsible for filling out the crash cart logs and he/she was not sure why they were not complete.




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