What should I do?

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2011

and what's the vehicle in bacitracin? yup, you guessed it-- petroleum jelly and mineral oil! anybody seen bacitracin banned in oxygen environments? nope, guess not.

repeat after me:

"evidence-based practice"

BacktoBasics · Dec 3, 2011

So I think you’re a little bit wrong about this. This is some concern about oxygen and any flammable contaminants I’m not too sure when this belief started but in 1996 the National Fire Protection Association’s stated in their Standard for Health Care Facilities that “oil, grease, or other flammable contaminants shall not be used with oxygen equipment”. Although in reality, oxygen and petroleum combustion will probably never happen nor do I know how this belief was deduced. But there must be some sort of concern if the NFPA published this information. All I know is that I don’t want to be the nurse of the one fluke case that went against “evidence based practice”.

diva rn, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2011

OH YES.....AND WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NEVER WRONG AND IS ALWAYS FULL OF GREAT AND HELPFUL POLICIES....

Greentea....You rule....!!

To everyone else...please...use the Bacitracin, petroleum jelly and chap stick...it is not going to "set your patients on fire"....

(I can't say anything else, it's like banging my head against a wall)

OCNRN63, RN · Dec 3, 2011

"i am a nursing student (thus i cannot give appropriate input lol) but anyway, i've been told that we cannot use vasaline or the like because it has the potential to combust (this told to me by nurses and my instructors) any thoughts?? i noticed another poster mentioned vasaline as well, but i am horrified to ever do this."
this is absolute and total b.s., and i don't mean "bachelor's of science," . it's another one of those old wives' tales that gets passed around from generation to generation and has absolutely no basis in reality or science.

if you were ever in chemistry class or scouts, you would have learned that fire requires three components: 1, fuel; 2, oxygen; 3, an ignition source.

1) vaseline is a petroleum product, and will burn (it's great on cotton balls for starting a camp fire lay in the rain-- i've done it)

2) oxygen itself does not burn (look it up if you don't believe me), it supports combustion, which is why you don't have cigarettes going near your oxygen concentrator (unless you are a tobacco-addicted copd patient who enjoys sudden visits from those nice boys and girls in your friendly local fire department)

3) unless your patient is one of those spooky people who spontaneously combusts (or sticks a lit match up his nose), it is highly doubtful, yea, impossible that vaseline in his nose will burst into flames because you have helpfully applied an effective protectant to his nares.

your instructors ought to have better critical thinking skills. are they afraid of lip balm, too (also a petroleum wax product)? also harmless.

use the petroleum jelly (vaseline). it won't dry out like ky or other water-based lubricant, so it won't accumulate in scummy sheets up in there. sterile goobers aren't any more comfortable or better than native ones in keeping airways open.

gawd, i love how you write. you have no idea how many times i have cracked up at the way you word your posts. (and that's a compliment--big time!)

OCNRN63, RN · Dec 3, 2011

OH YES.....AND WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS NEVER WRONG AND IS ALWAYS FULL OF GREAT AND HELPFUL POLICIES....
Greentea....You rule....!!
To everyone else...please...use the Bacitracin, petroleum jelly and chap stick...it is not going to "set your patients on fire"....
(I can't say anything else, it's like banging my head against a wall)

I don't know...perhaps we've stumbled across the reason for "spontaneous human combustion."

Next project: crop circles. Who wants to be in charge for doing the poster presentation?

diva rn, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2011

I don't know...perhaps we've stumbled across the reason for "spontaneous human combustion."
Next project: crop circles. Who wants to be in charge for doing the poster presentation?

OC...you are hilarious!

Not for crop circles but I will get started on the Spontaneous Human Combustion posters!! Would you care to join me???

:flamesonb :madface: or how about this one?-->:flmngmd:

BE PREPARED!! When it Glows...it just may BLOW!!

OCNRN63, RN · Dec 3, 2011

OC...you are hilarious!
Not for crop circles but I will get started on the Spontaneous Human Combustion posters!! Would you care to join me???
:flamesonb or how about this one?-->:flmngmd:
BE PREPARED!! When it Glows...it just may BLOW!!

LOL! We have to find one that just leaves a little pile of ashes.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2011

i had to add that when i opened this thread this morning, the ad next to it mentioned all nurses "hottest topics."

maybe we could present at burning man? :devil:

diva rn, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2011

I just have one question (for OC and GrnTea)...why don't people believe the truth?

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Dec 7, 2011

So I think you're a little bit wrong about this. This is some concern about oxygen and any flammable contaminants I'm not too sure when this belief started but in 1996 the National Fire Protection Association's stated in their Standard for Health Care Facilities that "oil, grease, or other flammable contaminants shall not be used with oxygen equipment".

They misworded it. They intended to say that these products should not be used in or on oxygen equipment. In other words, you don't want to shove grease or oil down inside a pressurized oxygen tank. This is a lot different than applying a little bit of Vaseline to a patient's lips. A revised NFPA standard was issued in 1999 to reflect the in or on wording that captures their original intent.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Dec 7, 2011

The day I stop putting Vaseline on lips is the day they ban Kleenex for flammability. Until then, I have bigger worries.