Docs and their dirty sharps...

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Just curious to see if your docs routinely clean up their sharps after inserting central lines and chest tubes?

I never really gave it much thought until one of our newer docs kind of looked at me funny when I thanked him for clearing his sharps from his used central line kit and he remarked, "I'm a big boy, I can clean up my own mess." Most of the other docs just leave everything at bedside for the nurse to clean up,i.e., dig through all the bloody sharps, and I've become so used to automatically doing it that I really didn't give it a second thought. But since that doc made that comment, I find myself getting irritated now when I have to clean up after the others; its not the cleaning up, its the digging for the dirty sharps, the putting myself at risk for a stick, just because I'm the nurse.

So have the docs in my ER gotten into a bad habit or do they all do this?

[ICURN_NC]

The docs always clean up after themselves where I work- only once did they not, but it was because they have a really pressing issue to attend to. And, they left the med student to deal with the sharps, I just cleaned up the drapes and stuff.

[flasandy42]

>

not all, but most. i worked the floors but we put in a lot of central lines. i think the interns did better than the older docs. i think safety is stressed in med school now. i also have to check my rooms after a doc leaves to see if he put and bloody dressings in the regular trash. they're like children....lol.

[bethin]

All but one clean up their sharps. The one that doesn't is scary: he almost stuck me with a dirty needle because he was waving it around. Yeesh.

He does his job and then leaves. Doesn't dress it and doesn't clean up.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

If they leave something hazardous on the tray and someone else gets stuck they are at least partially responsible- especially if it's a sharp hidden by drapes, dressings etc.

[student4ever]

If they leave something hazardous on the tray and someone else gets stuck they are at least partially responsible- especially if it's a sharp hidden by drapes, dressings etc.

Our ER docs are really good about cleaning up their sharps. They always dispose of their dirty sharps (only twice have I found that they missed one) but occasionally leave a sharp they didn't use (they may not have even seen it, but it's always covered, and clean, so I don't bother about it much). The specialists who come in though, surgeons, plastics, etc.... that's another story. I think they're used to having an assistant who takes care of all that and is present at all times during the procedure so they know exactly where the used sharps are placed... and I guess they forget they don't have that luxury when in the ER... it gets annoying, but at least I know to be on the cautious side when I'm cleaning up after a consulting doc has done a procedure using needles. And believe me, when an ER doc leaves a dirty sharp on a tray and I find it while cleaning up, I let him know about it. It is a safety risk for whoever is cleaning the tray up, because they don't know what might be hidden under a pile of tools on a tray. One time I found a sharp on a tray of a very grouchy doc who seems to think nurses are very dumb... I put a drop of betadine on my finger and went straight to the doc and said "I hope you know you left a dirty sharp on your tray" you should have seen his face - thought he was going to faint he looked so upset. I wiped off the betadine and said "that could have been your responsibility if I had been stuck." He has NEVER left another sharp on a tray. LOL

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Our doctors are wonderful about it. They are very conscientious and careful. Not a problem here.

[AdobeRN]

I work in an Urgent care facility and the doc always picks up his sharps but leaves the rest of the mess for us/

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

thier mess - sharps, bloody slides, leaving a patient bleeding from a bone marrow biopsy site still with the sterile drape with the bedrail down and the patient zonked on ativan and morphine - I gently remind them to please clean their mess and tend to their patient.

I'll even offer to help since I'm part of the team, but I am not anyone's handmaiden!

Blee

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I work on Med/Surg. I can't think of a single doctor who has picked up his own sharps. I do recall several asking me to make sure to dispose of them properly but honestly don't recall anyone cleaning up whether it be the scapel or needles. It's always been this way.:angryfire I can't speak for the ER dept. I have no idea.

[tridil2000, MSN, RN]

docs clean up their sharps all the time here. if they left a dirty needle around, i'd chase them down and inform them that they 'left the pt and staff vulnerable to a needlestick injury and would be soley responsible if someone was hurt.' if they were to get fresh i would then tell them i bet their 'malpractice would go up if that were to happen!'

if they refused to pick them up and place them in the proper needle bin, i'd call the supervisor. it is an osha violation and grounds for discipline.

check your hospital policy on proper handling of sharps.

[hrtprncss]

They clean up the sharps they've used...PLUS another added bonus....On their first day of rotation, residents are shown where the supply cart is, and if they are going to insert alines/cvp/swan then they would get the supply that they would need. We would still be responsible for the transducer and its set up, but our residents are very good at helping themselves in the supply room, and are able to charge it to a specific patient as well. They clean the drapes up as well after suturing, and most of the time they will ask if we would do the dressing...