%0 Journal Article
%T Audits of emergency trolleys¡¯ contents in selected hospitals in Botswana
%A Lakshmi Rajeswaran
%A Valerie J. Ehlers
%J Health SA Gesondheid
%D 2012
%I AOSIS OpenJournals
%X Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening emergency situation. The outcome depends on timely and effective cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Successful CPR attempts in hospitals require well-equipped emergency trolleys and properly functioning equipment, as well as staffmembers skilled in performing CPR. The study aimed to determine whether the emergency trolleys in Botswana¡¯s hospitals¡¯ wards or units met the expected standards. The contents of the emergency trolleys in 20 wards or units of two referral government hospitals in Botswanawere audited by using a standardised checklist. No hospital ward or unit had all the expected equipment or drugs on its emergency trolley, some units failed to check their emergency trolleys¡¯ contents daily. All 20 hospital wards or units that participated in this study, needed to improve the contents and maintenance of their emergency trolleys, otherwise in-hospital CPR efforts in Botswana might be doomed to failure, losing lives that could have been saved if emergency trolleys¡¯ equipment and supplies had been up to standard.
%K Botswana
%K cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
%K emergency trolley
%K basic life support (BLS)
%U http://www.hsag.co.za/index.php/HSAG/article/view/621/719