Standardizing the layout of medical carts can significantly reduce medical errors. In fact, the odds of medication dosage errors fell by almost 80% in simulated medical emergencies once carts were given a consistent setup, a study in the Anesthesia & Analgesia journal found. When there’s no set layout, staff have no frame of reference for where items should be. This wastes time and inevitably increases risk of error when they search for and choose supplies. Conversely, the key advantage of a standardized medical cart is that everything has its designated place. This predictability saves time and energy, as staff spend less time searching for what they need, and more time focused on patient care.
How organization prevents medication errors
The study also found that medication errors in clinical practice dropped by roughly half once a standardized layout was put in place. It’s easy to understand the reason for this. When you always store medications and supplies in the same place, no one has to frantically search for what they need, so there’s less chance of mistakes. A specific type of error that decreased was the swap error, which is where similar-looking meds are mixed up, often because they’re stored together. To avoid this, these medications should be stored in separate drawers or compartments. Color-coded labels or dividers make it easy for staff to instantly identify meds and tell them apart from each other.
Preparation errors also went down. These tend to happen when staff make mistakes with medication preparation, as in they use the wrong dose or mislabel bottles or syringes. Ideally, preparation supplies like labels and syringes should be kept in a standard drawer or compartment. This makes it easier for staff to prepare correct doses without having to search for what they need, which lowers the risk of mix ups.
Find what you need fast
An organized medical cart can also reduce the time it takes to retrieve items by 45%. That’s what researchers found when they studied anesthesia providers and how long it took them to retrieve supplies. After they standardized where items went, it took staff around 57 seconds on average to find what they needed, down from 105 seconds. A specialty cart for anesthesia that comes with a variety of drawer configurations makes it easy to set up a standardized layout that fits your hospital’s needs. Once configured, staff will quickly come to know exactly where everything is stored, which makes it easy to find items fast. Accessory rails are also a great way to add more storage to your cart. You can attach things like bins and holders to them, and since these rails are mounted on the outside of the cart, everything’s out in the open. That means staff can get what they need quickly without having to rummage in drawers.
Organization improves focus
Standardized medical carts also significantly reduce cognitive load in medical staff. When everything has a set place, staff no longer have to waste time searching for supplies or remembering where they put things. This, in turn, helps them stay completely focused on patient care. It’s no secret that distraction and cognitive overload are prime drivers of medical error. Research suggests they contribute to 75% and 80% respectively. Non-standardized or disorganized carts can add to this because they slow staff down and give them more to think about. This extra mental pressure increases the risk of them making simple mistakes like grabbing the wrong medication, for instance.
To help staff reduce their mental load, it’s a good idea to keep things simple and organize drawers based on frequency of use. For instance, you might reserve the top drawer for daily essentials, including regularly-used meds and basic disposables. Top drawers are easiest to access, so staff can grab what they need quickly without breaking focus. Next, the middle drawer is best for items used less often but still somewhat regularly during procedures (like IV kits and dressing supplies). And the lower drawer is best kept for rarely-used spare supplies.
Standardized medical carts are a simple yet effective way to reduce healthcare errors and improve efficiency across the entire hospital. They make it easier for staff to quickly find what they need, which lets them provide better, faster care.
