New ER to me. I dropped a pill on the computer and didn't want to give it. My preceptor did a fyi and said it was okay to give. I disagree.
ERs clean their own rooms. Computers are frequently missed or not fully wiped down. Those counters get urine and god knows what else on them. People don't wash their hands as well here. I don't think I would take a pill that fell on the computer desk so why should a patient? I get those cups aren't sterile but they are better than a computer where stuff gets put on it. Precautions aren't heavily practiced so who knows what could be passed to patient.
So do you give a pill that dropped on a computer screen?
Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
Before I worked in Infection Prevention, my rule was "if it didn't hit the floor and I know I cleaned this counter/cart this shift." Since then - and my introduction to ATP monitoring? If it gets dropped, it gets replaced. To agree with a previous poster, I drop a lot fewer pills. (Granted, I'm not on the floors as often, either, so it's not a purely scientific ratio.)
Hm, I did volunteer in infection control before I became an RN and helped photographing the plates taken from nurse's hands during orientation. Maybe that is influencing my opinion?
In the ER, it is a bit trickier to get meds at this ER because they set the pyxis up weird which I am going to guess they had problems with meds being pulled multiple times since I didn't even realize the pyxis would gray out orders before because it was pulled. It still is possible.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
I would have given the pill as long as it didn't fall on the floor. Maybe I'm more daring than most people but I would take a pill that fell out onto the computer or bedside table if I was a patient. I'm not immune compromised though. If my patient was on neutropenic precautions I might get them a new one, but otherwise I'd put it in the cup an give it if I were super swamped. Someone mentioned above that you could have asked if they wanted a new one and offered to get it.
If they have a normally functioning immune system and the computer wasn't soiled, I don't understand what the big deal is.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
The dropped pill shouldn't be given, but the private duty patient had 2 pills left, it was a weekend and she saw me drop the pill! She at once demanded I retrieve the pill and give it to her. Taking everything into consideration, I complied.
She at once demanded I retrieve the pill and give it to her. Taking everything into consideration, I complied.
audreysmagic, RN
458 Posts
Before I worked in Infection Prevention, my rule was "if it didn't hit the floor and I know I cleaned this counter/cart this shift." Since then - and my introduction to ATP monitoring? If it gets dropped, it gets replaced. To agree with a previous poster, I drop a lot fewer pills. (Granted, I'm not on the floors as often, either, so it's not a purely scientific ratio.)