swabbing off iv ports or saline locks before hooking up fluids

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in mental health, med/surg and corrections.

I have to confess there were times I didn't have an alcohol swab in my pocket and have hooked up the fluids anyway. I would never do that again. I would take the time to go get the alcohol swab

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Good :up:

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

I always start out my shift by grabbing a stack of alcohol swabs for my chest pocket.

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my pocket often becomes filled with all sorts of health care 'condiments', lol.

alcohol preps, tape, 2x2's 4x4's, post it notes, about half a dozen pens, some of which i likely accidentally walked away with, as well as mouth swabs, and whatever else i may need. it's amazing what i can fit into a few pockets!

failure to clean ports is an infection control issue. as nurses it is vital that we protect our patients from nosocomial infections, since many of our patients already have weakened immune systems.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I carry stacks upon stacks of those with me. its the best 15 cents you can spend to help prevent infection.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

My hospital recently started stocking these nifty little Swab Caps that we use on all access sites on all of our tubing. The Caps have alcohol inside, and when you need to push a med or hook up a line, you just unscrew the Cap, push the med, then put on a new cap. Eliminates most of our uses of swabs.

These: http://www.excelsiormedical.com/swabcap.php

They also have flushes with the swab cab built into the end of the plunger.

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Specializes in Emergency, Pre-Op, PACU, OR.

I always have alcohol swabs and red caps in one of my scrub pockets.

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Specializes in mental health, med/surg and corrections.

I have confessed my errors to the infection control of that facility

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I have confessed my errors to the infection control of that facility

Hopefully you will only receive penance and not eternal damnation!

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

Is it just me, or are the OPs posts kinda weird?

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Specializes in mental health, med/surg and corrections.
Hopefully you will only receive penance and not eternal damnation!

Are you kidding? I would never say it like that to someone

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Specializes in mental health, med/surg and corrections.

Excuse me if you think I'm weird. I came here to ask for advise which I appreciate very much not to be belittled.

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