Pediatric Resuscitation Supply Cabinet Organization: A Systematic Approach

Emergency department visits are unpredictable in nature. A nurse's shift can consist of low-acuity patients, with the surprise of an injured or ill patient. This process improvement project aimed to create ease of supply access and subsequently reduce time delay in critical interventions to support patient outcomes.

This project was conducted in a pediatric emergency department in the western United States. An initial review assessed how the baseline stored supplies were used. With these data, supplies were optimized to ensure that the correct supplies were stored following a Lean methodology. Subsequently, the concept of a fixed storage space was used in a systematic manner following the body system groupings used in trauma primary assessments. Team members were educated on the new supply organization and completed a scavenger hunt retrieving several essential supplies. A multiple-timepoint pre-post time trial was conducted on team members' ability to locate numerous supplies during this scavenger hunt.

The average time required to locate required supplies decreased dramatically. The preintervention period yielded an average time of 4:27 (minutes to seconds) (SD = .051). The final postintervention point had an average time of 2:05 (SD = .017). This decrease was statistically significant (P≤.0001).

Creating an environment in which the care team can efficiently and effectively operate can improve the timeliness of care. Creating a Lean, fixed organizational system is key to creating this space. This organizational project validated the effectiveness of systemic organization of supplies in improving time to care.