1. CRASH CART Description: also called a resuscitation or code cart.

This is a portable cart containing emergency resuscitation equipment for patients who are "coding." That is, their signs are in a dangerous range. Crash carts are strategically located in the ICU for immediate availability for when a patient experiences cardiorespiratory failure The contents off a crash cart vary from hospital to hospital, but typically contain the tools and drugs needed to treat a person in or nearcardiac arrest. These include but are not limited to:

Monitor/defibrillators and suction devices Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) drugs such as epinephrine, atropine, amiodarone, lidocaine, sodium bicarbonate, dopamine, and vasopressin First line drugs for treatment of common problems such as: adenosine, dextrose, diazepam or midazolam, epinephrine for IM use,naloxone, nitroglycerin, and others Drugs for rapid sequence intubation: Succinylcholine or another paralytic, and a sedative such as etomidate or midazolam;endotracheal tubes and other intubating equipment Drugs for peripheral and central venous access Pediatric equipment (common pediatric drugs, intubation equipment, etc.) Other drugs and equipment as chosen by the facility

Function: The function of a crash cart is to provide a mobile station within the hospital that contains everything needed to treat a life-threatening situation. The advantage of mobility is that it allows the treatment to come to the patient when needed. 2. INTRAAORTIC BALLOON PUMP

Description: Intraaortic balloon pumps use a balloon placed in the patient's aorta. The balloon is on the end of a catheter that is connected to the pump's console, which displays heart rate, pressure, and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. The patient's ECG is used to time the inflation and deflation of the balloon. Function: a device that helps reduce the heart's workload and helps blood flow to the coronary arteries for patients with unstable angina, myocardial infarction (heart attack), or patients awaiting organ transplants. 3. Pulse oximeter Description: Pulse oximeter is a non-invasive method allowing the monitoring of the saturation of a patient's hemoglobin. A sensor is placed on a thin part of the patient's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe, or in the case of an infant, across a foot. Light of two different wavelengths is passed through the patient to a photodetector. The changing absorbance at each of the wavelengths is measured, allowing determination of the absorbances due to the pulsing arterial blood alone, excluding venous blood, skin, bone, muscle, fat, and (in most cases) nail polish. It displays the percentage of arterial hemoglobin in the oxyhemoglobin configuration. Function: A pulse oximeter (saturometer) is a medical device that monitors the arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation (oxygen level) of the client.

4. CARDIAC MONITOR

Description: The monitor provides a visual display of many patient parameters. It can be set to sound an alarm if any parameter changes outside of an expected range determined by the physician. Parameters to be monitored may include, but are not limited to, electrocardiogram, noninvasive blood pressure, intravascular pressures, cardiac output, arterial blood oxygen saturation, and blood temperature. Equipment required for continuous cardiac monitoring includes the cardiac monitor, cables, and disposable supplies such as electrode patches, pressure transducers, a pulmonary artery catheter (SwanGanz catheter), and an arterial blood saturation probe. Function: It is a device for the continuous observation of cardiac function. It may include electrocardiograph and oscilloscope readings, recording devices, and a visual and/or audible record of heart function and rhythm. An alarm system may be set to identify abnormal rhythms or heart rates. The cardiac monitor is a device that shows the electrical and pressure waveforms of the cardiovascular system for measurement and treatment. Additional monitoring components allow cardiovascular pressures and cardiac output to be monitored and displayed as required for patient diagnosis and treatment. 5. INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE MONITOR Description: A monitoring device to determine the pressure within the brain. It consists of a small tube (catheter) attached to the patient's skull by either a ventriculostomy, subarachnoid bolt or screw and is then connected to a transducer, which registers the pressure. Function: ICP monitors are devices that measure the intracranial pressure (ICP) and are generally placed in any patient in whom there is concern for elevated ICP. It measures the pressure of fluid in the brain in patients with head trauma or other conditions affecting the brain (such as tumors, edema, or hemorrhage). These devices warn of elevated pressure and record or display pressure trends. Intracranial pressure monitoring may be a capability included in a physiologic monitor. 6. VENTILATOR (ALSO CALLED A RESPIRATOR) Description: A device that assists with or controls pulmonary ventilation in patients who cannot breathe on their own. Ventilators consist of a flexible breathing circuit, gas supply, heating/humidification mechanism, monitors, and alarms. They are microprocessor-controlled and programmable, and regulate the volume, pressure, and flow of patient respiration. Ventilator monitors and alarms may interface with a central monitoring system or information system. Function: Ventilator helps to blow up the air with some oxygen in the airways and then the lungs. These airways pipes carry oxygen rich air, some waste gas and carbon dioxide out of your lungs. A ventilator also may be used during treatment for a serious lung disease or other condition that affects normal breathing. Types: 1) Negative-pressure ventilators 2) Positive-pressure ventilators (volume-cycled ventilators, pressure-cycled ventilators, flowcycled ventilators, time-cycled ventilators) Modes: control ventilation, assist-control ventilation (a/c) or continuous mandatory ventilation (cmv), synchronous intermittent mandatory ventilation (simv), constant positive airway pressure (cpap), positiveend expiratory pressure (peep), pressure support ventilation (psv), independent lung ventilation (ilv), high frequency ventilation (hfv), inverse ratio ventilation (irv)

7. CAPNOGRAPHY MONITOR Description: The capnography monitor is attached to tubing near the end of the breathing or tracheostomy tube. Carbon dioxide measurement is an important part of monitoring lung function. The carbon dioxide values from the capnography monitor are often displayed on the bedside monitor. A capnography monitor is used when the patient's condition may effect the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The capnography monitor is also used to confirm that a breathing tube is in the patients airway. Function: A capnography monitor is a device that measures carbon dioxide. The capnography monitor is used as long as the patient requires close monitoring of the carbon dioxide level. 8. DEFIBRILLATOR Description: A defibrillator is a device that is designed to pass electrical current through a patients heart. The passing of electrical current through the heart is called defibrillation. A defibrillation is done through pads placed on the patients chest. Function: A defibrillation is used to restore a patients heart rhythm to normal. Abnormal heart rhythms may be treated with medications while other rhythms need to be treated with defibrillation. Life threatening heart rhythms need defibrillation immediately while other heart rhythms may be defibrillated in a scheduled fashion. Defibrillation may be done using the manual defibrillator or the automatic external defibrillator (AED). Types: 1) AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR - An automatic external defibrillator, also known as an AED, is a small portable device that contains a computer to assess the heart rhythm through the use of adhesive electrodes. 2) IMPLANTABLE DEFIBRILLATOR - The implantable defibrillator detects abnormal heart rhythms and sends small electric shocks to help return the rhythm to normal. When the heartbeat slows down, it sends tiny electric signals to help the heart get back on pace. 3) WEARABLE DEFIBRILLATOR - A wearable defibrillator straps on to the outside of the patient to provide continuous monitoring through non-adhesive electrodes and detects an abnormal heart rhythm and can deliver a shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. 9.