Standardizing Broselow carts: Elevating pediatric emergency care across Geisinger
Author: Emma Wysocki
Since their development in the 1980s, Broselow carts have revolutionized pediatric emergency medicine by streamlining access to lifesaving equipment and supplies. Broselow carts are organized into color-coded drawers that correspond to specific length and weight ranges and have consistently demonstrated several advantages over standard code carts in pediatric resuscitation — including faster equipment access, improved accuracy, enhanced safety and greater user confidence.
Recognizing the many advantages of Broselow carts in pediatric resuscitation, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine team launched a transformative initiative under the Geisinger Transformation program to bring standardized Broselow carts to every emergency department (ED) across the Geisinger system. While many Geisinger EDs already had Broselow carts in use, their organization and contents varied widely. This variation presented an opportunity to unify practices and elevate the standard of care across the system. Acute Care Pharmacy partnered closely with the initiative team to ensure the right medications, quantities and supplies for medication preparation were selected, with careful attention to the nuances of preparing patient-specific, weight-based medications for infants and children.
This collaboration also created an opportunity to pilot a centralized distribution model for medication trays — an innovation that streamlines operations and enhances consistency.
The Broselow cart medication trays are prepared and packaged at the Elysburg Distribution Center and shipped to EDs as needed, simplifying the replenishment process and reducing variability across sites. This marks a meaningful shift from the current site-specific approaches used for universal code cart tray replacement and sets the stage for broader standardization efforts.
The success of this initiative not only enhances pediatric emergency care today, but also lays the groundwork for future systemwide standardization of pharmacy-supplied medication trays and kits. It’s a powerful example of what can be achieved when teams across disciplines come together with a shared vision for improving patient care. By aligning clinical expertise, operational efficiency and pharmacy innovation, Geisinger is advancing the quality and reliability of emergency response for its youngest patients.
