cart helps save children’s lives

Broselow Cart helps doctors act quickly when a child is in distress.

The Broselow Cart is a medical tool chest on wheels, colour-coded to help doctors find and administer the most appropriately sized equipment or medication for children in emergency situations. The Foundation purchased one for the Powell River Hospital last year.

Dr. Ian Ricketson, head of the emergency room staff at Powell River General Hospital, shows son Carter, 2½, how the ER’s colour-coded medicine chest helps medical staff act quickly when a child needs attention right away.
The child’s height is measured with a special colour-coded tape measure called the Broselow Tape, which guides the doctor to a particular coloured drawer in the cart which contains the right size of life-saving equipment for that child.
Dr. Ian Ricketson explains:
“Suppose a child arrives in Emergency with a breathing problem. Time is of the essence. We measure the child’s height, which tells me immediately which colour drawer contains the correct size of airway equipment for that child. It’s easy to navigate and saves valuable time in a critical situation.
“Another advantage of the Broselow Cart is it’s portabil-ity; it has wheels and can easily be pushed to any location in the hospital where a pediatric emergency occurs.
“The Broselaw Cart is a welcome addition to our resuscitation room and our Emergency Room Staff are very grateful to the Hospital Foundation for providing it.
“We have used it on several occasions and we all have a strong sense as to just how important a piece of equipment like this can be.”
Since 1989 the Foundation has improved patient care by funding equipment worth more than $3.5 million. Continuing to do so depends on donations.

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