popping and squeezing boils

Daisy_08, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

no, you wont loose your lisence. Dont worry.

I have squeezed a huge zit/boil/abses here and there. Let it rupture on its own (or with saline compresses) and then you need to get the head or it will never heal.

PAROPPY, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

I don't think you would lose your license. Popping and squeezing boils, ESPECIALLY in the prison setting is opening up the patient for a host of infectious organisms to enter, especially if no site care is given afterward. Also, if one of those boils just happened to be necritizing fascitis that would be super bad news, not likely that it would be that but you never know and why take the chance. Losing your license, probably not, but why ask now if you don't do it anymore?

tjnurse67 · Nov 27, 2011

I don't think you would lose your license. Popping and squeezing boils, ESPECIALLY in the prison setting is opening up the patient for a host of infectious organisms to enter, especially if no site care is given afterward. Also, if one of those boils just happened to be necritizing fascitis that would be super bad news, not likely that it would be that but you never know and why take the chance. Losing your license, probably not, but why ask now if you don't do it anymore?

I have always done site care on these boils when they were opened. I'm asking because I have a guilty conscience I guess. I never had any cases of necritizing fascitis, ever. i always figured it was better to get the pus out and get it on its way to healing. thank you everyone for your incite. I feel much better.

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2011

As long as you break all of the loculations that remain beneath the skin...

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Nov 28, 2011

It's not a nursing function...but they are darned tempting. Plus the head frequently comes off during bedbaths, and they ooze, and stink. :)

tokmom, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2011

No never did, but dang it's all I could do to pass one up. Love pus!

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2011

Ewww. What if pus shot out, eww, yucko, gross. I've never been tempted to pop a nasty pus filled anything.

allnurses Guide · Nov 28, 2011

oooooooh, I LOVE boils and blackheads! I get super excited when my husband has a big ol' fat blackhead on his back so I can squeeze that sucker! :rotfl:

As far as patients or residents though... I leave 'em alone, or get an order for warm compress. Warm compress causes them to bust on their own and then you give site care. Just too worried about causing a much worse infection.

At my last job (LTC), another nurse was helping me with a resident; I forget what it was we were doing. The two of us noticed a huge blackhead on the patient's rear end. The other nurse started to squeeze it! Resident let out a huge "OWWW!" and that was the end of that.

Riseupandnurse · Nov 28, 2011

OP---no, nurses shouldn't pop boils. I am sorry to say, though, that I have had several. The last couple of times I went to the dermatologist and what does he do? Pops them. Without antibiotics. So I wouldn't keep beating yourself up over this.

maelstrom143 · Nov 28, 2011

I doubt you will lose your license, but better not to go around popping things as that can cause you more problems if they come back w/worse infection later on.

We usually use warm compresses to allow the stuff to come to a head, place a note on the chart and ensure the doc is aware of the skin issue, then do site care per protocol if the area opens up. Doc will often follow up and either be ok w/protocol or decide to write orders on daily care :)

leslie :-D · Nov 28, 2011

seriously, as benign as it may sound to some, it really is out of our sop.

it's comparable to lancing, which to my knowledge, is what a dr. does.

unless something terribly adverse happened to the pt, i highly doubt it's a reportable event.

no matter how tempting, no matter how 'prime' that boil/pimple looks to you, step away...slowly yet steadily.

leslie