Infection Control

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

I suggest that report any potential exposure to your infection control nurse immediately per agency protocol. At my facility, employees are evaluated in the ED on evenings and weekends.

That being said, I would think that the low pH of the stomach acid would kill off any bacteria.

As you know, use of personal protective equipment can help to prevent these types of exposures.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

Hopefully you have a decently-working immune system. Most of us have MRSA laying dormant and colonized within our bodies, but it usually doesn't progress to active infection because our robust immune systems can prevent that from actually occurring.

TazziRN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

I have been exposed to just about everything except Hep C, and I have yet to test positive for anything. My last exposure was from an intubated pt who obviously wasn't intubated in the the trachea because he barfed through the tube and I actually got splashed on my mouth. Nurses who have been in the hospital for any length of time have immune systems that can kill a squirrel at 50 yards! Report the exposure asap, make sure you get tested and the source pt is tested, but don't freak out about it.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

Question on this, I often get splatter from PEG tubes when I open them to flush, give meds, or whatever. Usually just gets on my gloves. But does this happen quite a bit?

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

Question on this, I often get splatter from PEG tubes when I open them to flush, give meds, or whatever. Usually just gets on my gloves. But does this happen quite a bit?

*groan* You can always tell when I have a Peg tube patient. My poor techs must hate me, even though I try to clean up the messes I wind up making.

I keep telling myself that one day I will be able to flush a Peg, give the meds, flush, and set up the feeding without making the bed and the patient look like a war zone.

But the truth is, I'm much neater at starting IVs!

So I always wear the splatter protection and have a complete bed change handy.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

Anyone can give meds or flush a g tube, but doing it without making a mess is an art form. LOL.

Working LTC, I've see alot of them. The trick is to take an extra towel or pad or something in with you. Get everything ready. Make sure you have the meds disolved and warm water to flush. Pinching the tube and recapping or plugging is key to prevent the mess. I always take the piston out of the syringe and let gravity work for the meds (this is after flushing with H2O and checking for placement).

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2006

Thanks for the tips. Good to know Angie makes a mess too lol.

I'm on a tele/stepdown floor because I dislike PEG tubes but sometimes they appear...

bahamagirl · Mar 28, 2006

That use to happen to me all the time until we got lopez valves. They fit on any type of ng or peg tubes. It is a three way valve with a stop cock. This eliminates you having to disconnect the tube feed from the ng. You just slide your syringe into the third port and turn your stopcock off to the tube feed and flush. They are neat and minimize the chance of you getting sprayed with bodily fluids.

KAW1962 · Mar 29, 2006

Anyone can give meds or flush a g tube, but doing it without making a mess is an art form. LOL.
Working LTC, I've see alot of them. The trick is to take an extra towel or pad or something in with you. Get everything ready. Make sure you have the meds disolved and warm water to flush. Pinching the tube and recapping or plugging is key to prevent the mess. I always take the piston out of the syringe and let gravity work for the meds (this is after flushing with H2O and checking for placement).

Yeah, but you gotta watch out for the geyser when they cough or sneeze!