So, I'm working at this new facility and I've been a nurse for 12 years agency, ICU, PACU, etc. The new charge nurse I'm working with today looked at me like I was crazy when I asked her if we pull the regular insulin out of a shared vial in the pharmacy and return it (not bringing it into the patient's room, etc)- like I've done at many places.
She said, "oh no, no one has 'shared' vials of insulin anymore for the past ten years". That's ancient. Everyone is given their own vial of insulin (this is for outpatient surgeries in preop- patients that will literally be at the facility for no more than 3 hrs).
I know many places I had worked at we would only pull the 2 units in the pharmacy (or out of the pyxis), have it cosigned, and not waste an entire bottle for a couple units. Am I crazy? Everyone was backing her up and I felt like I was on another planet!
How does your facility do it? Is it a big hospital, outpatient, etc? Where can I find new protocols for multi-dose vials?
