Retractable syringe - use of

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Is the retraction suppose to take place after the injection and the needle is removed from the pt? Or, do you retract the needle while still in the pt after the medication is delivered?

My first exposure to this type of syringe was rather frustrating - after I depressed the plunger and delivered the medication, further depression was suppose to retract the needle. Even after the "click" the needle was still not retracted...and this occured more times than not. (I was volunteering at a flu clinic and the RN supervising us required this method. My preference would have been to remove the needle and then retract the syringe.)

In advance, Thanks!

SJ

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.

You are supposed to depress the plunger fully to retract the needle before removing it from the patient. I was never sure of this myself, and therefore had always removed the needle before rectracting it, but recently discovered that was wrong. We use Vanishpoint syringes at my facility, and like you discovered, they don't always retract when you think they did. We had 2 nurses that had recently stuck themselves accidentally because of this happening. Anyway, this is the link from Vanishpoints website where I got my info.

http://www.vanishpoint.com/instructions.asp?section=hc

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You are supposed to depress the plunger fully to retract the needle before removing it from the patient. I was never sure of this myself, and therefore had always removed the needle before rectracting it, but recently discovered that was wrong. We use Vanishpoint syringes at my facility, and like you discovered, they don't always retract when you think they did. We had 2 nurses that had recently stuck themselves accidentally because of this happening. Anyway, this is the link from Vanishpoints website where I got my info.

http://www.vanishpoint.com/instructions.asp?section=hc

Pipsqueak,

Thanks for your reply...I will ck out the link.

Seems to me that if they do not retract consistently (when they are suppose to) that removing them from the site, then retracting would be the better way to use it.

Sorry to hear about your coworkers. Just curious, did someone report to the manufacturer what happened?

SJ

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Specializes in ER.
Is the retraction suppose to take place after the injection and the needle is removed from the pt? Or, do you retract the needle while still in the pt after the medication is delivered?

If you do not retract the needle while in the patient, you short dose the patient. Look at the design - the last little bit of med is given when you depress the plunger the rest of the way.

As a trial, take one of the syringes. Draw up some water. Then inject out what you would give as an injection (i.e. up to the point where the plunger is against the activator). Then dry off the needle. Now point the needle at some unsuspecting co-worker (ok, just kidding!) and depress the plunger. Your poor unsuspecting co-worker will get a small, albeit annoying, shower.

Chip

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Good point, Chip. This was not brought up as an issue w/ the syringe, just the fact that it was suppose to increase safety. My concern was that they did not consistently work as they should - and to me that increases the risk of a stick. Appreciate your input.

SJ

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.
Pipsqueak,

Sorry to hear about your coworkers. Just curious, did someone report to the manufacturer what happened?

SJ

Hmmm, not really sure. Guess that would be up to our infection control nurse. Might want to ask her about it though, as I have heard of other nurses c/o this happening to them as well.

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