What would you do???

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

I was orientating to a LTC/Sub Acute floor, my first day......had a nurse that was highly unorganized and uncomfortable to ask questions to. She answered me many times with I dont know, I dont know, I dont know or just ignored me or cut my sentences off. I am a seasoned RN but ALWAYS felt that I MUST know this facilities proper protocol and procedures. BUT>..this was a jaw dropper for me....I have NEVER EVER SEEN a nurse, especially one who is supposed to be an example and orientating you do the following....

An elderly male patient diagnosed with MRSA in the eyes. We donned gowns and gloves and entered the room. My Orientation Nurse is holding a small brand new bottle of eye drops in her hand......she takes off the cap...and finds out that it doesnt have a proper puncture nib on it.......She grabs her shiney new ball point pen with the tip exposed and punctures the eye drip tip in front of me. I almost got sick.....She must have saw the look of horror on my face and she says...." I JUST HAD NO CHOICE!!!!!! What would you have done if you couldnt get the top open? I wont answer the three things I would have done, cause I am curious of what other nurses would do to see if I am right. Thanks guys.

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

First day orietation in a Ltc/sub acute facility. had a nurse that was not the orientating type. I am a seasoned nurse and maybe she just assumed I was ok with everything....I dont feel thats the case for I moved from another state and need to know everything that facility does with protocol/procedures. This is my MAJOR concern which I never EVER saw a NURSE do in front of another seasoned nurse in my life. a elderly male with MRSA of the eyes.......she had a new small bottle of prescribed eyedrops in her hand, She removed the cap, noticed that the cap had no puncture thing to open up the sealed bottle and THEN proceeded to take out her shiney new pen with the ball point(ink) exposed and punctured the tip of the sterile eyedrops with it.....I thought I was going to throw up.......she looked at me and Said into my face. I HAD NO CHOICE!!!!! Uh, there was a choice. I would like to hear what other nurses THINK the other choices are to opening that bottle of sterile eye drops when you dont have that cap puncture thing handy. I would have done 2 other things . Thanks guys.

[Laught3r]

Try a sterile needle that are usually on the carts.

[orthonurse55]

I think it was lazy and an infection control issue. Two things I hate in a nurse.

[Snowbird17]

Wow, that's the worst thing you have seen as a seasoned nurse?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

1. I would have used a sterile lancet (the finger stick type) to puncture the tip of the sterile eye drops.

2. I would have used a sterile large gauge needle (20 gauge or bigger) to puncture the tip of the sterile eye drops.

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

First day orietation in a Ltc/sub acute facility. had a nurse that was not the orientating type. I am a seasoned nurse and maybe she just assumed I was ok with everything....I dont feel thats the case for I moved from another state and need to know everything that facility does with protocol/procedures. This is my MAJOR concern which I never EVER saw a NURSE do in front of another seasoned nurse in my life. a elderly male with MRSA of the eyes.......she had a new small bottle of prescribed eyedrops in her hand, She removed the cap, noticed that the cap had no puncture thing to open up the sealed bottle and THEN proceeded to take out her shiney new pen with the ball point(ink) exposed and punctured the tip of the sterile eyedrops with it.....I thought I was going to throw up.......she looked at me and Said into my face. I HAD NO CHOICE!!!!! Uh, there was a choice. I would like to hear what other nurses THINK the other choices are to opening that bottle of sterile eye drops when you dont have that cap puncture thing handy. I would have done 2 other things . Thanks guys.

Yes, absolutely, I would have tried to use an insulin syringe(kind of flimsy and thin though) t being you dont have to count them anymore, or a 22 gauge needle OR a fingerstick thingy.

And this incident was the worst I EVER ACTUALLY WITNESSED another seasoned Nurse do that was orientating me.!!. OMG, not what I have experienced all through my 17 years of nursing!!!!. That was funny. I would NEVER do that when orientating a new nurse. She did this so fast, in fact if I remember correctly she turned her back to me when getting her contaminated pen out and then turned around and poked it through the bottle!!!!!!! Scarey stuff.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

She did use a new pen! All joking aside,I would have used a sterile lancet or syringe.

[caliotter3]

Glad she didn't put it into her mouth to bite it off.

[sauconyrunner]

18 g needle would take care of that problem. Not so sure I;d want to be oriented by that person!

[lumbarpain, ADN, RN]

I still cant believe she did that in front of me.......I also thought about reporting this to the state...but as a new orientee....where would that go? Ugh.... the job is history anyway....I wouldnt want to work under nurses that did these kind of things, It was a big turnoff and a red flag.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Threads merged.