Ever work in a facility where there are no TB syringes? I had to give
morphine injections to a dying patient the other night and, was surprised to
find that this place used 1cc insulin syringes for this and for heparin and PPDs as well, I would presume. I was told by the staff that it was a major issue to ask for any IM syringes.
I can understand being thrifty, but most LTC facilities are privately owned, sometimes by a group of investors or in this case by a family, living far away in a sunbelt state. This is just one example of their cost saving measures.
They also have the very cheapest, flimsiest gauze face masks that wouldn't protect you from a good sneeze or anything else.
It is not unusual to postpone obtaining urine specs because there are no
cath kits or the components to make a kit. It is becoming harder each year
to work in these places. I pity the staff since I work thru an agency and
