Manual lancing still OK practice?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Feb 19, 2007

I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about. We don't have "machines" for blood glucose finger sticks; we use little spring-loaded lancets. It's not like I'm doing an injection with an exposed needle....you never see the needle. You twist off the little plastic bit on the end, which "loads" the thing, place the open end against the skin, and then press the button to release the lancet. No muss, no fuss, certainly no way to miss. Not really sure what a machine would do differently? And there's no question at all of it being outdated....are we talking about the same thing?

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2007

I know what your talking about and my response is :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: .....That is cruel punishment...

I worked at a hospital where they had no lancing device. (It was broken, as were the other 5 in the kit and apparently have been for yonks)
We were told to stick them manually with the lances.
Now I know they used to do this, as I was in hospital when I was a kid back in the 70's, but an awful lot of things they did in the 70's will have you up before the board nowadays. And since I started practice no hospital I have worked in has ever been so ill equipped that across 3 wards they have 0 working lancing devices.
So it's never been a question I've asked before.
To myself, I think I made the right choice that day, they are more at risk from uncontrolled sugar, than my manual sticks. But I'd prefer to use a device as the patients don't wince as munch.
But this is the first time I've had to ask myself that question.
I don't think it's unsafe practice, it's not like I do anything the machine doesn't, and it's not like I'll miss and hit some vital organ in the pt's middle finger.
But it's more painful to the pt than the machine so It's not best pactice either.
What do you think?
Levin

Levin · Feb 19, 2007

It's the spring loaded lancets I'm talking about. None of them work.

Texqueen I'm so glad you posted.

All the staff have been doing their best to make me feel odd that I would object to such practice.

("You new grads are all so soft you don't know how to do anything. I mean really, this is the real world not nursing school.")

I've had to bite my tongue and rephrase "Get with the b1&&66in century." in more acceptable terms, more than once .

This facility has issues that go beyond poor equipment.

I think I'll go back to agency, it was less stressful.

Levin

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2007

It's the spring loaded lancets I'm talking about. None of them work.
Texqueen I'm so glad you posted.
All the staff have been doing their best to make me feel odd that I would object to such practice.
("You new grads are all so soft you don't know how to do anything. I mean really, this is the real world not nursing school.")
I've had to bite my tongue and rephrase "Get with the b1&&66in century." in more acceptable terms, more than once .
This facility has issues that go beyond poor equipment.
I think I'll go back to agency, it was less stressful.
Levin

Yes, we all know what spring loaded lancets are! I find your comment about new grads somewhat demeaning & offensive...I'm glad you weren't my preceptor! Tell me, Levin, did you come straight out of school with all the knowledge & experience you have???

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2007

ok are we talking about the manual lancets that looks like a small blade and you poke the patient yourself.. cause that is what i thought we were talking about.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Feb 20, 2007

levin was quoting what someone else said to her....please reread the post.

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2007

I did misread. After re-reading the post, I realize Levin is in my same shoes (it gets old hearing & seeing such comments, I've become too quick to jump on it)...I do apologize.

Levin · Feb 21, 2007

We are talking about the little lancets that you load in the spring lancer.

We are told to uncap them and do it manually because the lancing machines (all of them) dont work. In 3 cases they do work but the lancets don't fit.

The ones the lancets do fit are all broken. Either the spring is gone, the trigger button is broken or they are missing 1 or more peices.

it gets old hearing & seeing such comments.

Tell me about it, I've been on the end of a few myself. Apology accepted. :)

Regarding the lancing devices.

I mean if we were in deepest darkest Africa, sure no problem, we cant be choosy. But in a major metropolitan hospital, with it's own pharmacy. I want my lancing device. I mean a packet of softclix is petty cash retail. It should be as simple as, walk down the pharmacy, get the goods, tell them which ward you work in, and walk up.

I worked at a different, better, hospital as agency and that's how it worked there, we ran out of softclix, I headed off to pharmacy, they asked me "what ward?", "Sign here please.". And that was it. Walk back with the goods.

Now isn't that nice and simple?

Anyway I'm just venting now. I should apoligize. :)

Levin

hlfpnt, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2007

Apology accepted. :)

Thank you! :)

MomNRN, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2007

I understand the device you are talking about, but I wonder what is the difference between a manual poke and a delivered poke. I suppose there could be some difference in the amount of force delivered.

In previous job as school RN, I had a kid whose device was broke. We did a manual poke for at least 2 years. It never seemed to be that big of an issue.