Emergency drugs

1. Drugs due to be used in emergencies (further referred to as “emergency drugs”) are stored in the fridge located in the pharmacy store on 4E.
2. Emergency drugs should be used in EMERGENCIES only.  They are to be available for urgent interventions such as intubation or cardiac arrest – to ensure that all necessary emergency drugs are available and ready to use.
3. They must not be used for elective procedures/interventions such as elective transfers, tracheostomies or sedation for diagnostic procedures on the unit (e.g. OGD, bronchoscopy).  For these situations – a dedicated tray should be made and dismantled immediately after use.
4. There should be three emergency drug trays in the fridge ready for use.
5. Presence of all three emergency drug trays and their content must be checked at the start of each 12 hour shift by a designated person – allocated by 1113 at handover (day and night).  This is usually the ICU runner but may vary depending on staff availability.
6. The person allocated to check the emergency drug trays is personally responsible for ensuring that all three trays are adequately stocked (as per the laminated checklist on the fridge) and all drugs are viable (vial integrity and expiry date).  This should be confirmed by placing a drug label sticker on each tray with the name of the person checking and the date and time of checking. This signifies the trays integrity and availability for use.
7. If the emergency drug tray is removed at any point (used or not), the doctor using it is responsible for ensuring that it is restocked, rechecked, re-signed and returned to the fridge.  Should this person not be able to do so, it is his/her duty to delegate this task to another team member to ensure that the tray is available for reuse as soon as possible.
8. DO NOT leave the tray in a patient’s bedspace after dealing with the emergency. Several of the drugs must be stored in the fridge and leaving them at room temperature for a prolonged period may affect their pharmacodynamic properties.  Any left over controlled drugs signed out should be disposed of appropriately.

EMERGENCY DRUG TRAY CONTENTS

Labelled syringes with blunt needle for drawing:

20ml Propofol
20 ml Metaraminol
20ml Thiopentone
10ml Ephedrine
10ml Midazolam
2ml Atropine
10ml Etomidate
5ml Glycopyrollate
10ml Rocuronium
5ml Fentanyl
5ml Atraurium
10ml Ketamine
2ml Suxamethonium
20ml Saline/Flush