crazy orders we have to have them to apply a band aid.

ktwlpn, LPN · Jul 17, 2014

Put a bandaid on a small scrape/skin tear or hangnail without and order and here is what may happen

1-no-one checks the area again for days because they don't know it's there

2-days later when a sharp CNA reports it you remove the bandaid and you find a funky,MRSA infected mess .Cellulitis-you name it. These people are compromised. They have poor circulation and lousy immunity for starters. Now you have to do an incident report, call the doc, notify the family.Now you have a wound to treat and track (measurements,appropriate consults,etc) and maybe another oral med to admin.

3-a resident could loose their leg or their life (I've seen it happen)

4-a nurse can loose their job (seen that happen as well)

Every facility I have worked in has a standing order to cover "preventative skin care" which the cna's can apply when they are giving care. Consider this-someone picks up a bottle of lotion left on the dementia unit and drinks some.The fun begins (call poison control,physician,family,incident reports.etc) or someone applies just any lotion hanging around to a resident with severe allergies/sensitivities. I worked with some big hearted CNA's a few years ago who used to pick up a ton of scented products at the dollar store and use them on the residents liberally . It caused major issues.

Bottom line-there are reasons why we do the things we do.

vampiregirl, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2014

We are allowed to apply a bandaid aka "a dry dressing" without an order.

But along with the bandaid, we must: complete an incident report r/t whatever we are covering with a bandaid, complete a post-incident assessment, notify the physician, notify the family, notify the unit manager and place the resident on pertinent charting to monitor whatever the bandaid was applied to.

It made me look at bandaids in a whole new light:)