Patches left in public

Published

ok...the scenario goes like this......my mother in law was recently seen in the ER at a local hospital in my community. While she was being seen by the doctor, my ex and i waited in a hallway. While we were waiting, i noticed a table (much like the ones used in pts rooms), with a box of tissues on it. On top of the box of tissues, there was a patch laying with the label down. This was alarming to me, because it was in full view. There were no patients around except for a mother and her infant daughter. When a nurse walked by, I quietly told her about the patch. Her response was....."Oh...dont worry about that. It is nothing you need to worry about". Now, little does she know that I am in my last year of nursing school and I only have 8 weeks left. Therefore, as it stands right now....I do everything by the book. To me....it seemed like a big deal because what if it was a fentanyl patch, or a nicotine patch, and some little kid thought it was a sticker or something and put it on.

Needless to say, I am very upset by her reaction. Does anyone think I am overreacting? Or is there some legit reason why she was so nonchalant about it? Ive been taught to never ever leave meds unattended! Thanks!

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

No, you're not overreacting. Hospital supplies of any type belong in storage areas, not in the hallway that patients traverse.

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Specializes in hospice, home care, LTC.

You are definitely not overreacting. Any med left unattended is BAD! I would also be especially concerned due to the proximity of the child. I am 1/2 way through an RN program and in hindsight (which is always 20/20) I would have asked to see the charge nurse and pointed out the situation. I also would have warned the child's parents to "watch out" and keep the child away from the hazard.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Exactly. A child could think that a patch is just a sticker.

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thanks for the feedback. i have clinicals at the facility tomorrow, so im thinking about talking to the nursing manager. thanks again!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

You really should address when you're not on your clinical time, since the incident happened in your off time.

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Could it have been the type of patch that you clip leads on? You said the label was down, from the underside they look alot alike....

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Could it have been the type of patch that you clip leads on? You said the label was down, from the underside they look alot alike....

I was wondering the same, or if it could have been one of the "sample" patches that don't have any medication, like they sometimes have in magazine ads (specifically I'm thinking of ads for the birth control patch, that have a "fake" patch so consumers can see how thin and comfortable, etc, the patch would be)

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.
On top of the box of tissues, there was a patch laying with the label down.

A few questions here. Did you turn over the patch and see that it was fentanyl and not an estrogen or a nicotine patch? From on a table and upside down, that unless you saw the type of med, it is worth an incident report? Could it have been the backing of a patch after it had already been applied?

Don't get me wrong, any of these things are a no-no in my book too. But I also wouldn't report a nurse without the facts. You spoke up, which in my opinion, was a good move. The nurse said that it was 'nothing to worry about'. Perhaps she was correct and it was indeed, nothing to worry about.

If you are there on clinicials, why not find this person and ask her about it? Most people respond well to the benefit of the doubt rather than being pulled into the nurse manager's office when triage is backed up! When you work with people as colleagues, it is better to ask first and incident report only if necessary. If I had a dime for every "did you see what that nurse did/didn't do" discussions went on at post-conferences, I wouldn't have to had taken a job!!

Take care and good luck with whatever you decide.

Blee

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I think you have cause for concern. Even if it was "nothing to worry about" the nurse should have responded more appropriately. If she just left it there I would have gone to another nurse on the unit, or asked for the charge nurse. Safety is too important. Good save! You will make a fine nurse if you look out for details like that.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Don't get me wrong, any of these things are a no-no in my book too. But I also wouldn't report a nurse without the facts. You spoke up, which in my opinion, was a good move. The nurse said that it was 'nothing to worry about'. Perhaps she was correct and it was indeed, nothing to worry about.

I Must agree with this post. If it WAS indeed nothing to be worried about and she got reported with incorrect facts she could get in a lot of trouble. Not something I would want to be responsible for if I wasn't EXACTLEY positive of ALL the details.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I'd rather report a patch and find out it was for an EKG than to just assume that it was and leave it at that.

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