Nasal cannula

[believing]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to know what do you do when the patient drops the nasal cannula to the floor...I know it might sound a stupid question, but I just want to make sure i am handling it right.

thanks

God bless you

believing

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

pick it up and put it back on them? I probably should go get another one, but sometimes people drop them constantly and we would literally run out of them if I replaced them every time it was dropped.

[believing]

Really???I thought we needed to replace it to prevent respiratory infections. The other thing that I was told was to clean it with alcohol or caviwipes.

What do you think?

thanks:)

[HappyPediRN]

I never ever put anything back on a patient that has touched the floor without disinfecting it and if it's visibly soiled I replace it. I know it's really busy, we have a million things to do, etc, but that is one infection control measure I don't cut corners on. I know exactly where my shoes have been and I refuse to be the reason my patients contract MRSA/VRE.

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

Be careful with caviwipes. We use those at our hospital as well but they are intended for use on equipment that is not going to be in constant contact with a pt because of the irritation the chemicals in caviwipes can cause.

I prefer good ol alchohol swabs.

[emnicams]

I pull a couple alcohol swabs out of my pocket and clean it. I honestly would not replace it with a new one just because it dropped. As often as that happens it would be a HUGE waste.

[APBT mom, LPN, RN]

I clean it with alcohol wipes unless it's gunky inside then I'll replace them. I wouldn't the calvicide wipes especially in peds because one brand (can't remember the name) says on the label that it can cause cancer in peds patients. I don't know why it's just peds but I don't like using them on equipment that has to be in contact with anyone near or around the face.

[kmoonshine, RN]

Use chloraprep wipes because they kill more organisms than alcohol wipes (alcohol wipes won't kill spores).

[softstorms]

Just get a new n/c......easy and no question.

[believing]

Thanks everybody for your input:yeah:

Another question What do you think about taking the blood pressure on the forearm on overweight pts?

Thanks

[lunden]

we take bp's in the forearm on overweight pt's because we don't have big enough cuffs for them. i work in a dialysis clinic, the bp's seem to be about right.

[LuLu2008]

I am in home healthcare. I am telling patients to change the nasal cannula (if using continuously) weekly and wipe off daily with a tissue. Is this overdoing/underdoing it?

If I could afford a LARGE adult BP cuff I would prefer to use it on the upper arm of big patients. Do the other because that is the equipment I have. I use a child's cuff on thin adults.