Made a goof!

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Nov 17, 2005

Made a mistake in clinical yesterday, thought I would share...
My pt was on nitro 2% by the inch. I did my am assess. and his BP was 98/58. MDs instructions were to wipe off for SBP
Well, here I am worrying about how stupid I feel right now, mindlessly taking this nitro patch off gloveless when i realize i have it all over my fingers! I thought I was going to just pass out from the realization of what i had done. I dropped the patch, ran to the sink and scrubbed my hands over, and over, and over, and over....prayed that i wouldn't pass out and have to explain it to my NI...washed again over, and over....prayed, washed, prayed, washed...:rotfl:
Then i decided it would be best to sit for awhile and do my charting haha. Needless to say, I was fine. I will never forget to wear gloves again. And I told a friend in case I did pass out or something, but I did not let ANYONE else know.
My question is...has anyone ever passed out bc of this and how much would it take. I felt a little light headed but mostly bc of anxiety & embarassment:p :rotfl:

It takes awhile for that to work. I seriously doubt a few minute's exposure would affect you.

I take them off w/out gloves all the time.

As an aside, they come in single dispense packets due to the fact that more than once, the old tubes of it were left at the bedside w/ bad results. Family members rubbing the nice lotion all over their pts, etc.

~faith,

Timothy.

Joeknee · Nov 17, 2005

As I understand it, scrubbing or using soap allows more of the NTG to penetrate your skin. Just rinse it off with water.

We make a note on our MARs about where the last site is, so the next nurse knows where to look for it and where not to put the next patch, so the sites can be rotated.

pricklypear · Nov 17, 2005

I've felt slightly dizzy before after getting ntg on my fingers, but nothing else. BTW, the patch was probably on the pt's thigh because it was giving him/her a headache. I always put them down there if headachs occur - and they do quite frequently in my experience.

jschut, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2005

Don't feel stupid...it certainly wasn't your fault! But now, and in the future, you'll know that the patch can be placed on thighs....

I have a tendency to remove them without gloves too...but where I work, I ALWAYS walk around with a headache, so a bit of excess nitro isn't going to hurt! LOL!

mtnmom · Nov 17, 2005

I wear gloves when applying or removing nitro patches always....but primarily because I am a klutz who would find a way to get the nitropaste all over myself by some freak accident the one time that I did not wear gloves....lol.

So dont beat yourself up about this one...learn and go on....and keep your sense of humor...

scrmblr · Nov 17, 2005

:uhoh21: ohman...I think y'all are going to think I'm a total moron, but I have one that will make you feel better!

I was an LPN in long term care. I was also pg. I was putting a new dose of nitro paste on a pt and dropped my pen in it. ( my pen was behind my ear) I carefully picked up my pen and wiped it off...Missing a large spot. I usually keep my pen either behind my ear or on my scrub top. I returned my pen to its usual place and it felt slippery...my :imbar skin went numb and tingly and I instantly got a headache. I had to tell my charge nurse what I had done. She looked at me like I was a complete and total idiot.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 17, 2005

As I understand it, scrubbing or using soap allows more of the NTG to penetrate your skin. Just rinse it off with water.
We make a note on our MARs about where the last site is, so the next nurse knows where to look for it and where not to put the next patch, so the sites can be rotated.

well, i scrubbed the crap out of my hands...lol. but i did not get any side effects obviously, probably b/c of the quick intervention and small amt i was exposed to.

At this facility they do not document on the MAR where patches/injections are placed. The first time I came out, that was the first place i checked BEFORE going to my NI. I told her that i couldnt find it and it wasn't documented. She just rolled her eyes, yanked out the patch to show me what it looked like (which i already knew...I am certainly not a moron ), and sent me back with an air of annoyance. Not very nice at all.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 17, 2005

:uhoh21: ohman...I think y'all are going to think I'm a total moron, but I have one that will make you feel better!
I was an LPN in long term care. I was also pg. I was putting a new dose of nitro paste on a pt and dropped my pen in it. ( my pen was behind my ear) I carefully picked up my pen and wiped it off...Missing a large spot. I usually keep my pen either behind my ear or on my scrub top. I returned my pen to its usual place and it felt slippery...my :imbar skin went numb and tingly and I instantly got a headache. I had to tell my charge nurse what I had done. She looked at me like I was a complete and total idiot.

While i was scrubbing my hands i was just imagining me going up to my instructor to tell her that i changed the patch but....then dropping on the floor right in front of her. I am positive that it would have been grounds for being kicked out of the program entirely. Thank God nothing bad happened!

oxyjen · Nov 17, 2005

Hi! I was thinking, it is applied full strength to a patient for hours at a time. I would think it should have very little or no effect if you barely touched it. And you did wash afterward.

From an instructors viewpoint, I would say be sure to to read about Nitro, it's action, indication, side effects, etc. Knowledge is power over fear.

Also, don't worry about your instructor. I bet she had plenty on her mind and didn't mean to look at you like you were a moron. She has to have had the experience of not being able to find a patch, sometimes they are hiding!

Good luck!