Lipping the bottle

Nurses General Nursing

Published

OK...this is one of those things that really chap my hide!!!

I can remember being taught in Nursing School to "lip the bottle" meaning prior to using the contents of a bottle of solution, some of it should be poured across the rim of the bottle sa as to decontaminate the outside of the bottle. I have always thought that this was one of those silly Nursing Wives Tales because:

  • If the lip of the bottle is contaminated, then the contents of the bottle should be considered contaminated as well... :uhoh3:

  • Simply pooring some liquid across a contaminated field will not render it clean or sterile (remember...we have to use soap and friction to properly wash our hands)...:trout:

What do you folks think?

Specializes in Cardiac.

Yep, I was taught to lip the bottle, and I do it too.

Takes about a milisecond of my time, and usually I'm doing the dressing change in front of the Drs, and they want to see it too.

No biggy.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

I think its stupid and I still do it. Just one of those things that stay with you I guess.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

In the OR, we still do this with the big bottle of betadine and tincture of benzoine. The skills lab instructor still teaches this to the LPN students in our program.

That said, we do not use it on the floor in clinicals as that is not the hospital policy.

Why is it still being taught (to some) and done (in some cases)?

I'm interested too!

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maybe its like tossing the salt over your shoulder after you knock over the salt shaker??????:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I've never heard of this but it sounds stupid for exactly the reasons you listed.

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:lol2: :lol2: ROTFL :lol2: :lol2:

maybe its like tossing the salt over your shoulder after you knock over the salt shaker??????:rolleyes:
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Specializes in Urgent Care.
I was taught that same thing and it never made much sense to me either. Thankfully so few dressing changes that we do now are sterile that it hasn't been an issue but I do feel kind of silly pouring a little saline into the trash to make it "sterile." I wonder if there is any research to back that up. Evidence based practice is such a biggy.

I graduate next quarter and I brought this issue up in class. While the instuctors seem to be pretty hip on evidence based practice, they all think this is benficial. But for the reasons brought up by the OP the rationale stated by the teachers (That the action of the fluid pouring across the lip removes bacteria) seems to be very irrational.

I have tried to find ANY evidence one way or the other and I cant. Anyone have a link to a real peer reviewed study about this or know the history of how/when this practice came about.

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Yes, we were taught this as well, and I admit to still doing it when I crack a new bottle of saline--(although I rarely have to do sterile dressing changes) I bet the facility hates the practice, as it's not frugal. Ha.

I'm surprised to read nurses are touching pills with their fingers--isn't that basic knowledge to pour into the cap first, and then the med cup?

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Specializes in rehab-med/surg-ICU-ER-cath lab.

I was taught this in LPN and then following in RN school. Does it help? I haven't seen a study. I work in a cath. lab. and we also do it only with the bottles of betadine. The person draping the patient and then once again the MD swabs the groin area with it. This only happens when we get a tranfer in from a hospital that does only diagnostic caths. If they find a blockage that cannot wait for an elective angioplasty they stat transfer them into us. Then after all the betadine the groin sheath is exchanged for a fresh sterile one. Most MD's do expect to see you do this.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.
I was taught this in LPN and then following in RN school. Does it help? I haven't seen a study. I work in a cath. lab. and we also do it only with the bottles of betadine. The person draping the patient and then once again the MD swabs the groin area with it. This only happens when we get a tranfer in from a hospital that does only diagnostic caths. If they find a blockage that cannot wait for an elective angioplasty they stat transfer them into us. Then after all the betadine the groin sheath is exchanged for a fresh sterile one. Most MD's do expect to see you do this.

I have searched hi and lo, asked floor nurses, intructors, doctors, and the hospitals infection control nurse. I have searched the internet and scientific databases in the libraries of several colleges, consulted the oracles on Mt Olympus, and anyone else I can find.

I have drawn this conclusion:

The rationales stated for lipping the bottle are wholly unsupported by any actual scientific evidence at all. And, indeed, the practice is in conflict with the rest of what nurses learn about aseptic technique.

Can anyone contradict that statement?

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I really only do this when I'm outside and afraid a yellow jacket might have gotten into my Mountain Dew. Turn it over and hope I can pour him out?

As far as liquids, the only thing we were taught was pour away from the label so it won't get obliterated with the gunk. And I'm old enough to remember multi-dose bottles that were accessed for all patients-pills and liquid both. As well as the morphine tablets we had to dissolve.

Why on earth would it help to waste good medication over the lip of a previously perfectly sealed bottle so the doctor could "see?"

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