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

[NewbieNurse2005]

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.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I mean to say, tossing contaminated things like used foleys and dressings in anything but a red bag IS a violation. Tossing McDonald's bags in red bags is just as wrong, and I see it all the time. And where I work, all dirty linens are processed as "contaminated" anyhow.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Body fluids are body fluids. Complete universal precautions are in order. Baggies off the side of the bed that have used tissues in them are still body discharge/fluids and should be treated as a biohazard.

[lifeisbeautiful]

I understand the reason for red bagging contaminated items, but unless it is dripping with, whatever or is an item contaminated from a known carrier, why does it matter? When I think of some of the down right nasty things that I have seen in public areas: baby diapers filled with feces tossed on the floor (let alone our public landfills totally full of these), bloody maxi pads/tampons in the regular trash, used condoms that people through in there everyday wastebasket, druggies tossing their needles and syringes, or people spitting or sneezing into tissues and tossing them, I think that red bagging should be restricted to real biohazard waste.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I mean to say, tossing contaminated things like used foleys and dressings in anything but a red bag IS a violation. Tossing McDonald's bags in red bags is just as wrong, and I see it all the time. And where I work, all dirty linens are processed as "contaminated" anyhow.

Thanks for the clarification. I think hospitals shouldn't cut corners here. Eventually, like my facility they are going to get a hefty fine. But perhaps like a lot of environmental polluters the fines are cheaper than following the rules.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I am sure you are quite right, tweety!

[lunakat]

My school also taught us to dispose of the dressings in the trash unless it is heavily contaminated then it gets red bagged. This is what happens at all 3 of the local hospitals. I find it disgusting to; especially when it just sits in the trash can all day....

[SmilingBluEyes]

if for no other reason, think of the PATIENTS who have to LIVE in these rooms. WHO the heck wants soiled dressing, dirty peri pads, old foleys and other nasty such stuff in their regular trash???? I mean, even if one were to ignore universal precautions, think of your PATIENTS and their safety and comfort!

[lifeisbeautiful]

if for no other reason, think of the PATIENTS who have to LIVE in these rooms. WHO the heck wants soiled dressing, dirty peri pads, old foleys and other nasty such stuff in their regular trash???? I mean, even if one were to ignore universal precautions, think of your PATIENTS and their safety and comfort!

Don't you have housekeeping in your hospital or is that the nurses job, too? :chuckle

[SmilingBluEyes]

at night? Nope. we are IT baby--- unless a room is desperately needed. And then, we had better be down to our last room with an admit waiting in the wings! The trash is for US to deal with, as well as some other things.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

if for no other reason, think of the PATIENTS who have to LIVE in these rooms. WHO the heck wants soiled dressing, dirty peri pads, old foleys and other nasty such stuff in their regular trash???? I mean, even if one were to ignore universal precautions, think of your PATIENTS and their safety and comfort!

aww shucks, you could probably go three or four days without emptying the trash if you packed it down really, really tight....... :chuckle

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

The choice is up to your professional descision! I mean..if I did what I did in my facility at my own home...darn my prices would outweigh my rent!

Human beings are not as weak as you tend to worry about...those that are you are careful with...comes with experience! If you freak out over a hankie someone sneezed it..I advise some rethought into being gun ho, or rational given the circumstances where you are or work in! Trust your own judgement, or if you don't depend on that, or are unwilling to budge on that...then you may want to reconsider your own prioritizing!

I had a Nurse freak out by seeing an alcohol swipe with the smallest spot of blood on it and was about to red bag it under "universal precautions"..so be it..go for it...but when she brow beat and screamed at a paramedic treating a stoke patient about it one day, wasting my patients precious time over this...I gave her what for!!!! So it is up to your professional choice! Go with the situation and not "fits all situations!"

Learn it, believe in your own professional oppinion, and go for it!

[girlfromtx]

I work as a student tech, and just this last weekend a nurse called me into a room to help her position and clean up a woman who had diarrhea and a lot of it, and wasn't able to move from her bed. After we cleaned her up, the nurse just threw the pads into the bedside trash! Imagine what that woman had to smell in her room for hours!