Full sharps containers not getting emptied!?

[Beanyamean]

This has become an increasing problem at the facility I work at in the clinic, urgent care, and ER area. Our sharps containers are routinely above the "full" line, often so full that you can actually reach in and pull out used sharps as our sharps containers have a wide open mouth at the top, not the flap-type used at other facilities. I understand there are many different types. I ALWAYS activate the safety guard on needles and scalpels when available. I have addressed this issue with my supervisor, infection control, housekeeping (who supposedly is supposed to empty them highly and when we page them) and with our clinical management. I have brought this issue up on numerous occasions. Nothing is being done. This is very concerning as we live in an are where IV drug use is rampant and I would not put it past a patient to pull a syringe out of a container. In addition, if a container is full, I find myself leaving a room carrying dirty sharps in search of a container. We are expecting a visit from JC in the next week or so. And i know they would not be pleased. Who else could I escalate this issue to to ensure these containers are changed to ensure the safety of our patients and staff? It's dangerous and frustrating!

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I view sharps safety as everyone's responsibility regardless of job title. An overly full sharps bin compromises that safety.

Of course when it's "everyone's" responsibility, it becomes the nurses' responsibility on top of everything else that's the nurses' responsibility. And if the nurse thinks that someone else could do it (you know, some other part of the "everyone") then the nurse is lazy. Cite to every thread by a CNA in a nursing home complaining that all the nurses there do is chart. Is the nurse lazy if they think housekeeping could mop the floor? (Infection control is everyone's responsibility.) After all, it only takes a couple minutes. How about cleaning the toilets? How about making everyone's meals?

It's time EVERYONE in the hospital is held responsible for doing their job instead of playing, "How can we add this to the list of things the nurse is responsible for and can't possibly finish in 12 hours?" because it only takes a few minutes. Sure, the nurses CAN do it. Nurses CAN do everything. Doesn't mean we should.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

See if someone from Infection Control could initiate a system like ours: We have an equipment tech. His job is to collect broken or redundant equipment to take to storage and to take clean equipment to the units as needed. He also is in charge of rounding twice daily to check the dirty utlility closets for containers. The nurses and CNA's can change out containers prn and put them in the closet. Basically it is EVERYONE's job to be sure it gets done. This took away the mind set of "not my job".

[loriangel14, RN]

We change our own if housekeeping isn't around but they are pretty good about doing it when they get full.Ours don't have keys. When you close the lid it locks and then you just take it off the wall. We have a supply of empty ones.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I should have mentioned that housekeeping is also checking. Really, it just should not happen.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

In my facility- they have not deemed it important to issue the nurses a key to the sharps containers so we CAN change them out.

[Beanyamean]

Here is just a quick count to put this in perspective. Of the 14 containers I was able to check during a "slow" period, 8 of them were at or above the full line. 4 of them very full. 2 of them probably will need to be changed tomorrow. I paged house keeping for the full ones and sent a few emails as I have been gone for a few days. I asked for a key and stock of containers.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I guess what I am asking are you the manager? It is of course a HUGE safety issue and I am NOT minimizing the importance. The JC doesn't fire people.... however, the facility will certainly make that apart of the corrective action taken to answer the JC deficiencies.

If you are not the manager...I would go to the manager or the medical driector and ask for refill containers to be held i n the department...just a few with a key to change them ....make up a "policy"/proposal to submit for consideration for the department responsibility sharing with housekeeping. Most facilities I have worked have shared that responsibility with housekeeping...the supervisor also usually had a key.

[Beanyamean]

Not by any means a manager. If I was it would not be a problem. As states previously I went to "higher ups" with no avail. But we have had a lot of mgmt changes recently. I guess persistence is key.

[amoLucia]

Try filling out an incident report every time you find this unsafe condition as a 'near miss'. That usually gets people's attention- it does for me!

Want to bet that the report makes it to the 'round file'?

I like the idea of letting JC find it themselves.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Not by any means a manager. If I was it would not be a problem. As states previously I went to "higher ups" with no avail. But we have had a lot of mgmt changes recently. I guess persistence is key.

That made me laugh......I KNOW you would make it better..:) You do realize OSHA and JC complaints can be anonymous.

I would also try risk management and talk of patients getting stuck, danger to the patient population if they EVER got stuck and the liability to the hospital if a patient/family member ever saw the opportunity and stuck themselves on purpose...you are only thinking of them.....lets see if that helps.

YOu're a good nurse for wanting to improve things.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Of course when it's "everyone's" responsibility, it becomes the nurses' responsibility on top of everything else that's the nurses' responsibility. And if the nurse thinks that someone else could do it (you know, some other part of the "everyone") then the nurse is lazy. Cite to every thread by a CNA in a nursing home complaining that all the nurses there do is chart. Is the nurse lazy if they think housekeeping could mop the floor? (Infection control is everyone's responsibility.) After all, it only takes a couple minutes. How about cleaning the toilets? How about making everyone's meals?

It's time EVERYONE in the hospital is held responsible for doing their job instead of playing, "How can we add this to the list of things the nurse is responsible for and can't possibly finish in 12 hours?" because it only takes a few minutes. Sure, the nurses CAN do it. Nurses CAN do everything. Doesn't mean we should.

Thank you!! I'm so sick of the "it's everyone's job" aka it's only the nurses who are expected to do it.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

This has become an increasing problem at the facility I work at in the clinic, urgent care, and ER area. Our sharps containers are routinely above the "full" line, often so full that you can actually reach in and pull out used sharps as our sharps containers have a wide open mouth at the top, not the flap-type used at other facilities. I understand there are many different types. I ALWAYS activate the safety guard on needles and scalpels when available. I have addressed this issue with my supervisor, infection control, housekeeping (who supposedly is supposed to empty them highly and when we page them) and with our clinical management. I have brought this issue up on numerous occasions. Nothing is being done. This is very concerning as we live in an are where IV drug use is rampant and I would not put it past a patient to pull a syringe out of a container. In addition, if a container is full, I find myself leaving a room carrying dirty sharps in search of a container. We are expecting a visit from JC in the next week or so. And i know they would not be pleased. Who else could I escalate this issue to to ensure these containers are changed to ensure the safety of our patients and staff? It's dangerous and frustrating!

I certainly hope they're not being emptied and are in fact being changed completely!