Environment of Care (EC) (Nursing Care Center / Nursing Care Center)
Medical Equipment - High-Risk Equipment
Publish | January 01, 0001
What is the requirement for high-risk medical equipment to have emergency power required?
Crash carts and defibrillators are to be considered high risk medical equipment, therefore it is critical and required that they perform properly when needed. Unless direct (plugged) power is required to directly operate the crash cart equipment or defibrillator, The Joint Commission has no standard that requires the charging of a crash cart/defibrillator to be from an emergency electrical power source, although it would be considered a best practice. Only a crash cart and defibrillator that requires connection to electrical power to operate (not to charge) are required to be plugged into an emergency power receptacle. The organization could perform an assessment, to include the elements described in EC.02.04.01, to determine the best strategy for their circumstances, then resulting in a policy. For example, if the device is not plugged into emergency power for charging, and there is a prolonged normal electrical power outage, there is to be a process in place to maintain the battery charge through the outage. If the organization's policy is for the defibrillator to be connected to emergency power, then The Joint Commission would expect the policy to be followed. [EC.02.04.03]
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