For HDMH staff – I am meeting with Kathy next week to chat about stocking in the ER. I have heard concerns about inconsistent stocking of certain items and have run across a few frustrations myself this summer so we are just going to do a walk-through the department to identify certain areas that need attention/feedback to our nursing staff who work through these re-stocking tasks at night.
Please let me know if you have areas of concern. My current list includes:
-Suture carts – ensuring they are stocked the same & with adequate supplies for busy days, including 25g 1 1/2 inch needles and adequate drape supplies if using the new utensil-only suture kits.
-ENT cart – plastic ear curettes, lido spray, cotton balls & cup, possibility of stocking otrivan or similar ?
-Trauma carts – ensuring radial & femoral art lines are clearly labelled and BOTH stocked along with supplies/tubing to set them up; creating a central line kit with all the materials needed (including sterile probe covers, chlorhex sponges, flushes, caps, tegaderm, mask & gown all in one bag);
Any other feedback? Thanks
Kirsten
The Peds airway cart had tons of expired things on it till two dream nurses took on the task recently and corrected it. Some was 2013!!!
Again Angela and Kathy were both engaged to make a more formal process to ensure all
Things are checked regularly although I see no evidence of that so far.
Nancy assures me in Bracebridge the Peds and airways carts where just recently checked.
I thank you Kirsten for offering your time to be the lead consultant md on this.
Perhaps we can log all the otoscopes also that don’t have all parts?!
Room five in huntsville hasn’t had one for weeks?!
John
This is a great plan, thanks Kirsten! The 1.5″ needles and otoscopes are the bane of my existence.. Tongue depressors, scissors, and tape are frequently missing. My understanding is the nurses do this stocking on nights though and when it’s busy it just doesn’t seem reasonable. I don’t know if there is anyone else who could support them with stocking?
Alcohol hand sanitizer seems to run out often and there have been days at a time where the same dispenser is empty so mentioning if the cleaning staff can check them daily might be good!
I have also noticed a big shortage of casting supplies this summer… I prefer the casting strips and these frequently run out. Also I asked for conforming bandages to use to wrap over splints (we usually stock the long one, which is great for legs, but not wrists) and we got the short ones briefly but they run out often. Not sure what everybody else likes to use or if it is possible to actually have these but thought I’d mention it.
Hi again everyone,
Just an update on my discussion with Kathy about stocking at HDMH. We have walked around the department and highlighted concerns in every room. She will be relaying these to the nurses and trying to find some solutions. A few points to note:
1) We now have lighted ear curettes (same as in bracebridge) stocked in the ENT room (Trauma 2)- previously they were in Bob’s office apparently (??!).
2) There is a clipboard posted to the right of the doc’s ‘captains’ chair where we can list if we note things are missing or poorly stocked through shift. The night nurses can check this to ensure that our observations actually get communicated!
3) I will be stocking a “central line kit” – a ziplock bag with all the extraneous materials needed for inserting a central line (sterile flushes, ultrasound probe cover, caps, etc!) These should be stocked routinely and kept in the Trauma cart with the central line kit.
Thanks for everyone’s input so far! Hopefully little changes like this can help make the department more efficient and less frustrating for all …
Kirsten