Docs leaving sharps behind....again.

[laurasc]

Just venting here.....so bear with me.

Last September I posted about this very thing here. Since that time, two more scalpel blades were discovered by either myself or the other nurse. We weren't hurt, thank God, but we did write a couple of letters reminding the docs to please dispose of sharps properly.

Yesterday I was preparing to clean the instruments again when I spotted a scalpel handle sitting in the kidney basin that I keep my cleaning brushes in. (not even in the cleaning solution) It was hidden behind and partially under a brush. There was a blade still attached to it. I shudder to think of what could have happened had I not spotted it and reached for the brush.

When I showed my boss the blade he shrugged and said "I don't know what to say." In their eyes it's MY problem and not theirs.

As a result, the other nurse and I are now on "strike". We will no longer clean their instruments until we are convinced that the docs understand the PROPER way of disposing sharps. (you should see the pile of dirty instruments!)

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but we are both tired of being told this is our problem. We are now making it their problem and if they don't do anything about it they will run out of instruments mighty fast.

Laura

[Rapheal]

Good idea. Stick to your guns, you might end up saving yourself or another from receiving a preventable blood born pathogen or disease.

Our docs put in central lines and then gather the sharps, and gowns in a bundle and throw this bundle in the patient trash can. It is very dangerous to undo this bundle to get to the sharps and most nurses just throw this "trash" away and then housekeeping is at risk. It is a shame but our docs are "customers" and are treated as if they can do no wrong.

[suzanne4, RN]

Take a photo and send it to administration. They would hate to have a big lawsuit to contend with if someone got injured because of this. And send it to your risk management department. If you are using scalpels, you either work in surgery or emergency and they always have a camera around. Cameras can be a wonderful thing AND your bestfriend. Becuause with it you have actual documented proof, not your word against theirs.

[imenid37]

Do you have an infection control or pt. safety officer? That person could provide a mandatory inservice on sharps disposal to the offenders or send them a nice letter. I do not know about Canada, but here in the US, in PA and also where I worked in MD, we were always told improper disposal of sharps/medical waste can result in a large fine for the hospital as it violates the law. You manager needs to grow some gonads as the saying goes and speak to these guys or ladies and put them on track or on notice that they could be in for trouble if they don't neaten up and throw away their own sharps! How inconsiderate can someone be?

[Jolie, BSN]

I would recommend an incident report, complete with photos, to be sent to the hospital risk manager. Do you have access to a Polaroid camera? Keep a copy for yourself, as well. The risk manager is responsible for protecting the safety of staff members as well as patients. I'd make it clear that a needle-stick, scalpel cut, or any similar injury would result llegal he## for the hospital and the physician, since it is clearly a known and documented problem that is going unaddressed.

[K O'Malley]

I would suggest writing incident reports on anyone who doesn't dispose of sharpies properly. This is a serious breach of procedure and a danger to others. On a slightly different note, we had an out break of MRSA in our ICU and anyone, even doctors who were caught not washing their hands were written up. Doctors are not exempt from the rules or having an incident report filed on them. Don't let this dangerous behavior continue!

[Nurse Ratched, RN]

That is so frustrating. Are they aware of your protest (vis a vis not cleaning the instruments) or do they think the sterilization fairies are going to take care of everything?

This is plain and simple disrespect of the health and well-being of ones co-workers and not to be tolerated. Good for you for making your needs known. Now it's up to them to observe basic safety precautions.