[jrock233]

Here's the situation: I went into a patient's room I gave her a po antibiotic(doxycycline) and then I gave her IV Solu-Medrol, her daughter, husband, and a friend were all in the room, after I started giving the Solu-Medrol the daughter said, "Shouldn't you have cleaned off the port with alcohol first." I didn't know what to do or say. She made a big fuss about it, so the charge nurse had to fill out an incident report. I know I was wrong, but I would like to know is this a huge error or if it is in fact an error at all. I've been a nurse for about 9 months now. Just need some advice on how to handle this situation when I'm confronted by the DON. What will be the outcome of this?

[VivaLasViejas]

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most serious, this incident ranks about a 1.5. Your DON will probably give you a verbal a$$bite that consists of something like "Just be more careful next time". I'm pretty anal about infection control issues myself, but there isn't a nurse alive who hasn't either forgotten or been too busy to swab the IV port. Don't worry.......unless your DON is a Simon Legree (like mine) who lives to chew nurses up and spit them out for even the most minor mistakes, you shouldn't be disciplined too harshly.

[pittsburghRN]

I AGREE WITH LAST POST NOT A BIG DEAL MINORJUST BE MORE CAREFUL ESP IN FRONT OF FAMILIES YOU NEVERKNOW WHO ELSE IS A NURSE OR DOC

[Rapheal]

Not serious. Just tell the DON you will be mindful to not let this happen again and that know it is proper procedure to cleanse the site with alcohol.

[Harleyhead]

Not a big deal sometimes when you are taliking to famlies or the pt we all forget . just use it as a learning incident. just keep extra alcohol wipes in your pocket.

[Noney]

I agree with everyone else. Let us know what your DON says

Noney

[angelbear]

I was in the room assisting my DON with a pt the other day when she gave an IV med and guess what she was talking to me and the family and she did not swab the port first. I saw it and I think she realized it but neither she or I mentioned it. Stuff happens. You'll be fine.

[bellehill]

Not a big deal, it happens all the time. Hopefully your DON will remember what it is like to be a floor nurse and just give you a friendly reminder. Every nurse has forgotten or been too busy. It is always good to carry extra swabs with you when you enter the room, in your hand so you won't forget.

[neneRN]

Unless you have the capped ports- with those you don't have to swab as you're replacing the cap with a sterile one after each use. We've just stopped using them at my hospital and have now gone to the capless that we need to swipe- now its hard to remember to do it when we haven't had to for years! I would hope that your DON is in touch with reality enough to know that this happens once in a while and is not a huge deal- she does probably have to counsel you in some way as a CYA since the family noticed and mentioned it.