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!
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
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....
Even if so, I don't see the wisdom in leaving any supplies on a cart in the hallway. It looks sloppy, it encourages theft, it just shouldn't be done, IMHO.
A similar misunderstanding took place when I was the nurse. I woman called my attention to a drop of dried blood on the floor. I was in the middle of a new onset chest pain (her Dad) and wasn't about to pull out my housekeeping hat right then. I said "OK thanks" and continued to work. She said rather indignantly, "What if I got AIDS from that?" So I stopped what I was doing and looked at her and replied, "well, you'd have to touch it first" then went over and actually looked. It was a drop of Betadine dried to the floor! I told her what it was and so help me, I think she was disappointed.
Actually i probly would have picked up the patch to see what it was. Duragesic has to be signed off as a wasted narc in my facility when you take the old patch off. And if it was a nitro patch it could cause some real problems in a little one regardless of how long it had been there.
I probly would have picked it off after the nurse didnt seem concerned and pitched it in the trash for her.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
Do NOT beat me up, but I totally disagree (and expect to catch a lot of flack for it). You are not an employee of this facility so even though it may be a stupid and dangerous practice I feel it really is not your business.
I totally understand the desire to protect patients, but you are off duty at a place that isn't your employer and i think it is a good idea to take a break from having to be the vigilant nurse 24/7.
This is just my opinion - I am ducking so you will need to swing that baseball bat low if you really want to connect with my noggin!
Do NOT beat me up, but I totally disagree (and expect to catch a lot of flack for it). You are not an employee of this facility so even though it may be a stupid and dangerous practice I feel it really is not your business.
I totally understand the desire to protect patients, but you are off duty at a place that isn't your employer and i think it is a good idea to take a break from having to be the vigilant nurse 24/7.
This is just my opinion - I am ducking so you will need to swing that baseball bat low if you really want to connect with my noggin!
Whatever or not she is an employee, she is a responsible adult. And as such, she does have a responsibility to ensure that this patch is not harmful. The nurse should have removed it from a common area, as a responsible health care provider.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
You know what? There is no way I would touch a medication (if it was) that did not belong to me in a hospital where I do not work. That could be really misinterpreted. I have to stick by what I said. I don't think we all have to be nurses 24/7, and I think sometimes you need to just stay out of it.
I have always been told to NEVER leave meds unattended. Excluding all the common senses reasons for not doing so is the possibility of the facility being fined by the state if found during a state survey..... at least in my state that is a legitimate concern.
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!
Yikes, what if it was a Nitro patch??? Hello, headache!
Something nurses need to be more concerned about that I run into all the time as an almost graduate: When you put a new patch on, find the old one and take it off. I have peeled as many as three nitro patches off of patients during their bath, knowing that they were due for a new one in an hour. I recently found two nicotine patches on a man when it was time for his new one. I am not sure I would have kept looking except that the first one I found was dated two days before so I knew there must be another one, and there was.
Patches are great but we are responsible for removing them, too! as for the supposed patch on the tissue box, I would let it go. You can't go back several days and figure out what really happened.
One side of me, the nurse side would have ask for a glove, scooped it up, and tossed it in a waste container.
The other side of me the mom of adult children, would have said, "Nope this is a hospital and watched my child." (and I'm not saying you didn't watch your child) I know some are gonna scoff :chair: but I'm from the school of parenting where accountability is my responsibility. Home or away, small children need to be watched. After all, this didn't occur at a daycare center.
It is impossible to say what kind of a "patch" this was, if it had any medication or if it was left by a healthcare worker or a patient. Lesson learned; You're observant, conscientious, and concerned all of these are fine qualities which will enhance your nursing career.
LydiaNN
2,756 Posts
Even if so, I don't see the wisdom in leaving any supplies on a cart in the hallway. It looks sloppy, it encourages theft, it just shouldn't be done, IMHO.