Many of the concerns raised in the lay literature are applicable to other health care providers. Pharmacists are often expected to provide any drug requested by the facility for the emergency cart or kit. Often, pharmacists express concern about the suitability of emergency care plans developed by facilities. Emergency carts and kits are often considered the bane of our existence. Other clinicians feel similarly.
Maintenance is labor intensive and can be costly.
Nursing staff should check the carts and kits daily to ensure that the seal is unbroken and all expiration dates are acceptable. This is often one of the first tasks to be abandoned at change of shift, when staffing tends to be short. Further, the monotony of checking without finding problems day after day often leads to a lackluster approach, increasing the chance that problems will be missed. Staff must be trained to review checklists properly, and to conduct more thorough preventive maintenance periodically. For pharmacists, emergency carts and kits are often considered a bother.