TOPICALS ON EPISIOTOMY

[kml]

I HAVE BEEN AN L&D RN FOR 6 YEARS. I HAVE CHANGED JOBS THIS YEAR AND HAVE NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN PRACTICE THAT I WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK ON. THE HOSPITAL I USED TO WORK AT ISSUED TOPICALS ( TUCKS, ANNUSOL CREAM, AND DERMOPLAST SPRAY) TO ALL PTS WITH EPIS OR TEARS. WE WOULD INSTRUCT PT TO APPLY ANNUSOL DIR ON THE TUCKS PADS AND PLACE THAT ON THEIR EPIS. THE HOSPITAL I CURRENTLY WORK AT DOESN'T USE ANNUSOL UNLESS THE PT HAVE HEMMORHOIDS- THE RNS THERE THINK I'M NUTS TO SUGGEST PUTTING IT ON EPIS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU USE, AND ANY ARTICALS OR RESEARCH SUGGESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE TO SUPPORT THE PRACTICE. WHEN I HAD MY TWO CHILDREN I LOVED THOSE TUCK AND CREAM- COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT W/O THEM!!!!!!!

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KATE

[jama]

Hi! All of our pts get tucks and can have americaine spray if needed.

[l/drn]

hey kate. this is so weird,but i think i work with you......and i think youre nuts even without putting orificeol on your tucks!!! i love working with you, and i'm so glad you came to work with us. as you know we do alot of outdated stuff at our hospital, and are afraid to try anything new. anyways let me know when you read this, i won't say anything to you about writing this, in case i'm not writing to the person i think i'm writing to...... lisa

[bbnurse]

All areas of the country are different on this issue. I have been 5 places over the years. Some used tucks for epis and/or hemmorhoids, others used foams, sprays or nothing. It is a comfort measure I too think is necessary, after 5 of my own... It is rather what they learned as to what they order. Current clinical practice seems to have no bearing on this issue for the Drs.

[dawngloves, BSN, RN]

Use nothing ?!! That's cruel! After I had my daugher, I had a Stage 2 tear and I would have climbed the walls if I didn't have my Dermaplast, and my OB pad with the cold pack in it layered in Tucks! Whew baby! That felt sooo good!