Sharps Disposal

[DJ-Adia]

The subject of waste/sharp disposal of IV tubing sets has recently been brought up at our facilty. I thought I'd ask if anybody had an answer. When disposing of an IV bag & IV tubing after discontinued from a patient, - what are the guidlines for disposing of the tubing given the "Spike" @ the end of the tubing?

[brownbook]

I get confused also. I don't know if what we do is ok per some higher standards!!! But we cut the IV tubing close to the IV bag and leave the spike inside the bag. If there is still fluid in the IV bag we cut a corner off to empty the fluid out. Anyway the sharp spike point is well protected inside the IV bag and no danger to anyone. Then just put it all in the regular trash.

[Texas Tornado]

We throw away bag and tubing together, emptying bag if needed as the prior poster stated. Leaving the spike in the bag protects anyone emptying or digging through the trash. In the not so common event that I need to throw away tubing that is not attached to a bag, I cut the spike off and toss it into the sharps container and then just toss the rest of the tubing in the trash.