Every modern hospital makes use of medical carts. They’re designed specifically for healthcare settings, making it easier for doctors, nurses, aides, and administrators to do their jobs efficiently. Read on to find out about the various types of medical carts found in hospital settings.
1. Blood Draw Carts
Most medical carts are capable of carrying the equipment required to take blood samples, but phlebotomy carts are designed with this specific function in mind. They tend to be small and maneuverable and feature ample storage space. Some units also come with built-in sharps containers and locking drawers for sensitive equipment.
2. Anesthesia Carts
Anesthesia carts are another type of specialized medical trolley. In this case, they’re designed to help anesthesiologists transport the equipment and medications they need to and from operating rooms. Anesthesia carts always have locking drawers for the safe storage of potentially dangerous medications and medical tools. They should be made of highly durable materials that are able to withstand frequent sterilization and disinfection between procedures.
3. Point of Care Carts
Point of care carts are designed to help medical professionals optimize their routine duties. They typically contain all of the supplies necessary for administering diagnostic tests and usually feature computer modules for easy logging of patient information. In some cases, point of care carts are used in place of bedside carts. In others, both types of patient care support trolleys are used.
4. Crash Carts
Crash carts are designed to help doctors manage medical emergencies. They’re often referred to as code carts, but crash carts are useful for more than just reviving patients who have experienced cardiac arrests. They’re also used to transport a variety of emergency medical supplies and feature drawers and compartments for simple storage and easy retrieval of required tools and medications.
5. Medication Carts
Medication carts transport patients’ medicines from one place to another. They always feature electronically locking drawers to ensure that no unauthorized parties have access to controlled substances and are meticulously labeled. Modern medication carts also tend to feature monitors that make the process of logging doses of patients’ medications easier.
6. IV Carts
Any medical cart can carry IV equipment, but this specialized version serves only that one specific function. IV carts are small and maneuverable since they’re designed to travel with patients. They sometimes feature small locked drawers for storing IV supplies, but little else.
7. Bedside Carts
Bedside carts often remain in the same room and only get moved if the patient does. They’re designed to store basic supplies and medications. Some bedside carts also contain computer modules to make it easier for nurses to log treatments and the patient’s condition.
Choose the Right Carts
Purchasing medical carts for hospital settings can be stressful, but it doesn’t need to be. Just determine what specific purpose the cart will fulfill once it’s put to use, then look for the specialized type of trolley designed to suit that purpose. It’s also perfectly fine to reach out to a reputable medical equipment manufacturer with questions or concerns.
