Doctor's sharps!

[connieg]

Wondering what the general concensus is about ED docs leaving their sharps on the used laceration trays. A hospital I worked in had a policy that the physician could be charged with attempted assault if he/she left open sharps laying around, and that stopped the problem, pronto. What do you think? How is it handled where you work? (Only have a problem with one Dr. and he's the department manager, but has been talked to. The others dispose of their own sharps.)

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

Wondering what the general concensus is about ED docs leaving their sharps on the used laceration trays. A hospital I worked in had a policy that the physician could be charged with attempted assault if he/she left open sharps laying around, and that stopped the problem, pronto. What do you think? How is it handled where you work? (Only have a problem with one Dr. and he's the department manager, but has been talked to. The others dispose of their own sharps.)

Completely unacceptable for anyone to not dispose of their own sharps

[ittibittinurse]

I agree with with pedicurn....docs need to dispose of their own sharps. Some hospitals actually have that written in black and white.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

Clinicians like to set up their trays their way and often develop habits about where they place things....this includes sharps...SO absolutely they should dispose of their own sharps. IMO it is really better for just one person to clean the tray..too many hands in there and the greater the risk for occupational exposure

[Crux1024]

My hospital has a policy that docs rid of their own sharps post bedside procedures and the like. They can get write ups just like us "normal" employees.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Never worked at a hospital with a written policy, but working in a teaching hospital we were told to send the residents to clean up their sharps if they hadn't. I got a needle stick from a missed sharp once. I only mentioned it to the resident. He told the faculty MD. Next I knew the resident was embarasingly, profoundly apologetic.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Ok, but attempted assault?

[AndyLyn]

I assume that every tray has a sharp on it somewhere, it's like a hide-and-go-seek game to find it. Found a suture needle yesterday, clamped in a pair of curved hemostats. I win!