Failure to Maintain Emergency Crash Carts in Safe Operating Condition
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that emergency crash carts were maintained in safe operating condition as required by facility policy. Observations and review of documentation revealed that the Back hallway crash cart did not have a checklist initiated for the current month, and this was confirmed by an LPN. Additionally, the Front hallway/Dining room crash cart's checklist was missing documentation for 14 days, indicating that the required daily checks for emergency readiness were not performed or recorded. These findings were verified through staff interviews and review of the crash cart binders. The Director of Nursing confirmed that both crash carts, located in the Front and Back hallways, were not properly checked and documented as required. The facility's policy mandates that crash carts be checked every 24 hours and after each use, with missing or expired items replaced as needed. The lack of documentation and failure to perform these checks resulted in the facility not ensuring that essential emergency equipment was in safe operating condition.