What do you think of throwing away "soiled" items in regular trash?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm a nursing student, and today we were practicing changing wet-to- dry dressings and we were told that the only dressings that could "red bagged" were ones that were dripping wet with blood or flaking..... I for one think that is a biohazard and totally disgusting.... am I wrong to think that way?????? I was told the reason they did that was to "cut costs" do all facilties do this??? :stone

Anyones opion will be very helpful. Thanks.

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I always redbag, its the way I was taught in nsg school. Was it the facility or your nsg school that taught you not to redbag all dsg changes? I don't think you are wrong to find that disgusting.

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it was the nursing school they said that, that is how the facilities want it done, because it saves money.

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Simple. Just tie up the garbage bag at the end of the dressing change. Replace it with new garbage bag left in the can.

Cleaners won't object to it and face it nobody wants to see the soiled dressings.

You just go with facility practice but do it your own way...

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

I have a real problem with this as well. I know all our hospitals here in this area of Va. and NC do this as well... only saturated bloody items are redbagged.. the rest is tossed in the patient's little trash can.. including foleys, etc. NASTY !!!

Like the patient really needs to see that stuff next to his bed when he's already sick !!!

But yes.. it IS a "cost saving measure" according to these facilities. Gross.

At our dialysis facility we redbag just about EVERYTHING.. gloves, IV bags, you name it.

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those feces-soiled items?

"briefs" ?

What about at home? What do you do with your diapers??

NurseFirst

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

I have been nursing for 15 years and red-bagging soiled material was drilled into my head. A few days ago I was in the soiled utility room and guess what was crammed down in the red bag trash can??? The left over cardboard bottom and plastic top to a birthday cake container... :uhoh3:

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

Many places do this (not redbagging everything) because of cost containment. Hospitals and other institutions are charged by the pound for hazardous waste.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

It's trash. It's not like it's going to the kitchen. I don't really see anything wrong with throwing diapers, dressings and the like in trash. Has there been cases of people catching communicable diseases from dressings in the trash?

Personally I never leave diapers and dressings at a person's bedside when done with them. I take it to the dumpster.

But if you're uncomfortable with it red bag it.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Depends on what is on the item really. Last year we had a huge epidemic in our facility with the flu, and we basically red bagged anything that..and this is kinda gross "can be wrung, and if it would drip". No, we didn't wring things..LOL, but just use imagination. Our facility didn't mind since we had over 60% of patients ill with some flu symptoms at one time...oh man that was heck!!!!! But things like tissues we disposed of double bagged carefully and immediately disposed q shift.

Other than that I use a combo of what is the material, and the above. If it is blood and saturated..red bag...known carrier of something..red bag...questionable red bag...all others double bagged and I personally took it out and disposed of it (because our housekeeping will not touch it at all!). I think if it is in a clients room, and it is a risk to others (staff, family...) then I get it out, if I fear it or question it...red bag!

It is very very costly to dispose of biohazzard. I can't remember what the cost was for one filled red bag, but I remember going "NO WAY!". Sharps containers even more so!!!!!! It was insane from what I could recall so I can see why facilites freak out. I try to think of the folks that are going to have to deal with the waste after me and think of their safety as well. If they are going to be dealing with something risky...red bag all the way (or sharps).

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think it's a violation of universal precaution standards.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I think it's a violation of universal precaution standards.

What is? Not red bagging dressings?

Universal precautions to me is treating everything, not just red-bagged stuff, but all trash as being contaminated.

I can be a bit casual because my facility lumps red bags and all trash together and treats them all as red bags. Apparently they got a big fan several years ago and find it cheaper to treat all trash has hazardous rather than go through the drama separating the two.

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