Let's talk TRASH! Useless, outdated, OLD equipment or supplies on your unit, that is!

Nurses General Nursing

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What's the most useless piece of equipment or stocked supply in your facility or on your unit?

What would you replace it with?

I thought of this thread when I was drawing up a 3 cc NS flush and thinking about how much easier and safer the pre-filled syringes are. So I wish we had pre-filled syringes.

And those emesis basins! Have you EVER known anyone to actually hit the thing without splashing or spraying all over the place? Completely useless! How about some larger-sized (or disposable--even the baggie-type might work better) emesis basins!

Specializes in Internal Medicine Unit.

Prefilled flush are the best thing since...:yelclap:

I'd love to get rid of those glass vials that you have to break the top off of...someone mentioned those earlier.

How about those insulin syringes that either leave the needle in the vial or in the patient? Our facility started using a less expensive syringe a while back. The hub of the needle just slides right off of the syringe when you're not literally holding it on. :eek:

Last but not least, our telemetry units are so old that the hospital can no longer replace them. I can't count the number of days that I've wasted precious time trying to get a unit to work only to return it to the CCU and exchange it for a different one. We're in the process of remodeling the hospital (one floor at a time), but we can't replace our out-dated telemetry system. Hmmmm....:sniff:

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We need to get rid of ALL our dynamaps. One of our machines, we had to wrap silk tape around it to keep it on the pole. Do you think our director is sympathetic...well, we still have them.

Also, I think we need to do away with the Polaroid cameras for documenting decubs or any other skin condition. A good digital camera would be more accurate in showing detail if taken to court, IMO.

We also need new rooms. Our sinks drip, light switches don't work, TV's are fuzzy. Our chairs in the nurses station have rips and tears. We look so ghetto. Also, I am very tired of the old, stained pink and green wallpaper...bleh.

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Specializes in ICU,ER.
I wish we could get rid of those glass ampules you have to break the top off to get to the med. Why DO certain meds still only come in that kind of packaging? There must be a reason.

hahaha... I sooo know what you mean. Lopressor 5mg IV is the worst...major skin lac waiting to happen. And the blister packs that the Demerol glass ampules come in... you have to have surgeon's hands to get the med out without 'popping the top' and losing the med. And for some reason, the pharmacy stocks our Pyxis with 50 million Nubain glass ampules...all loose... so you have to dedicate 10 minutes to counting.

IV poles that hang from the ceiling on a track....that have been stuck in the same place for 10 years. Trying to move one from above the foot of the bed to a practical position involves sweat, frustration, and possibly a dislocated radial head.

The Hoya (sp?) Lifts....the poor patients dangle from a sling looking like a large wild animal that has been tranquilized and air lifted back to the wild.

Cardiac monitors that the screen goes blank from time to time and you have to do one of those one fisted Fonzie taps on the screen to get it to come back on. ~Anything older would be a Flintstones type screen with a bird behind it pecking out a rhythm.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
We need to get rid of ALL our dynamaps. One of our machines, we had to wrap silk tape around it to keep it on the pole. Do you think our director is sympathetic...well, we still have them.

Kimmi, I hear you! But guess what I found out? Look at how much those things cost brand-new. $1695!

Multiply that a few times, and there's a good reason that facilities don't like to buy these things new.

http://www.dixiemed.com/medequip/dinamap-procare51.html

Isn't that a shame that anything should cost so much? But then again, that's a subject for another thread, another day. :(

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What's the most useless piece of equipment or stocked supply in your facility or on your unit?

What would you replace it with?

I thought of this thread when I was drawing up a 3 cc NS flush and thinking about how much easier and safer the pre-filled syringes are. So I wish we had pre-filled syringes.

And those emesis basins! Have you EVER known anyone to actually hit the thing without splashing or spraying all over the place? Completely useless! How about some larger-sized (or disposable--even the baggie-type might work better) emesis basins!

We have pre-filled NS syringes. Also, we have blue emesis bags now - and the kidney basins are used for toothbrushes.

The only thing that comes to mind is the dinosaur Pharmtrak we use for meds - very slow and frustrating (think DOS).

steph

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
MEDITECH. Talk about OLD and USELESS.

Trash it. It's dos-based and 20-plus year-old technology (I use the term loosely) that is MORE work than ever worth it.

Actually - it isn't even DOS based! It's pre-DOS on some proprietary OS that they wont share source code on.

Look into Iatric Visual Flow Sheet if you are stuck with Meditech. It's an overlay for meditech that makes it a little easier to work with especially in critical care settings.

It's doubtful these facilities will do away with meditech since it handles the money part of the business well - and afterall, that is all that matters, right? :clown: And if you work in an HCA facility you are hosed - HCA OWNS the Meditech company. go figure.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Oh and earwashers - the metal syringe will scare anybody off the table! Do a search for an Elephant Ear washer. This thing is so easy to use and the kids dont even mind it because its so gentle.

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Specializes in floor to ICU.
Our thermometer's stink..they take forever and often give an error message...grrr

:yeahthat: Especially when trying to take a temp on a wiggily three year old! We recently opened an Observation unit and they got brand new thermometers that work in seconds! I complained and we finally go 2 of the new ones but the dinosaurs are still circulating.

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Specializes in M/S, OB, Ortho, ICU, Diabetes, QA/PI.
I wish we could get rid of those glass ampules you have to break the top off to get to the med. Why DO certain meds still only come in that kind of packaging? There must be a reason.

I absolutely detest glass ampules!!!! I've had colleagues almost slice fingers off trying to open those little suckers and c'mon, how safe can it be for patients if you have to use a filtered needle to draw up the med?

I dread when I see that my patient gets IVP metoprolol cuz that's how it comes in our hospital.............:uhoh3: :uhoh3:

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Specializes in pure and simple psych.

Well, I've been around so long that glass ampules were the standard for lots of meds. Lets see... Reasons to use them: #1; harder to steal from them and replace with ns. #2: Keeps drugs air and contaminant free until use.

Comment about filter needles- "Back in my time", needed a small saw to groove the neck of the ampule to insure it cracked where we wanted. Swabbed the neck w/ETOH, and went on our merry way. We could have used the fn then. Were taught to hold a 2x2 around the neck to prevent slices. Always worked.

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Prefilled syringes? What are those?:rotfl: I work in a LTC facility, and everything is outdated. If we need an ice pack we fill a glove with ice cubes. We are owned by a corporation, and all that matters is money. If I try to get anyone to order new supplies all I hear is that there isn't enough money, or we have to stay in budget. Meanwhile we have scales from the 70's that don't give accurate weights. Does anyone else work in this kind of setting?

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Outdated useless nonfunctional..........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm................does my relief charge nurse count?

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