Guidelines/policies

[angil]

Hi, I want to start a thread to share guidelines and/or policies. I am specifically looking for guidelines on cleaning inhalers. Frequency, method of cleaning. I appreciate any input.

[moonshadeau, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APN, NP, CNS]

I was told by the respiratory therapist that really you only need to clean the spacer once a week, or if the spacer becomes cloudy. Rinsing with warm water and letting dry. But the most important part of the inhaler teaching was to let patients know they needed to rinse p inhalation. And that there was one spacer that shouldn't be cleaned. I remember it looking like a chamber that was clear plastic and larger than a spacer, but I don't remember what it was or what it was for.

[angil]

I wasn't talking about spacers. Just the regular inhaler mouthpiece. I should have clarified it better. I work in a Psychiatric facility. Our patients are here pretty long term. It wasn't so much for patient education as for how the nurses are handling the inhalers. I need to develop a policy to address cleaning the inhaler mouthpieces. Thanks for your input!

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I'm sorry I don't have the web sites for you, or time to do a search this am, but try the drug manufacturers. I know Glaxo has a fabulous site dedicated to all things asthma. Also MYasthma.com is a good site.