MDONER

A debate was started today regarding using IV bags that have been removed from the overwrap. I work in an OR, we use a lot of IV's in a day. Occasionally an extra bag will be removed from the overwrap. When I suggested that the bag was still safe to use my colleagues looked at me like I had 3 heads and just broke a nursing rule. It seems that many people felt the overwrap had some magically invsa-shield built into it and by only using bags still in the wrap could they be assured that the bag had not been tampered with or had something added to it. I pointed out that it's plastic and needles are sharp. On further research I now know that the overwrap serves as a vapor barrier and a shipping/storage protection (bags don't stick together, ink doesn't come off the bags). So the question is, would you use an IV bag that was not in the overwrap if it were sufficiently dated with when said wrap was removed? Most manufactures recommended 2-4 weeks.