Lancet expiration date

Some units chose to leave an open box next to the meter set-ups, others used baggies with Lot number and Expiration dates written on them. Baggies are much harder to control than original boxes. Good Luck!

We got cited for this during a CAP inspection several years ago. I had no idea at the time that there was an expiration date on lancets.  We had bins of lancets everywhere that had to be discarded.  There was no way to discern the expiration date.  We now require that when the lancets are removed from the original box, they must be placed in a secondary container that is dated with the original expiration found on the side of the box.  A communication was sent out to all staff at the time and dating of the secondary container is part of the original training.  I am constantly auditing for undated secondary containers and I notify the manager and input it into our learning tool for trending.  We just got JC inspected and had no issues with Waived Testing.  

At our organization, a member of POC goes to distribution monthly and verifies on a checklist whether the lot of lancets are in date.  Any expired are removed.

Vivian Tenuta,  could  you please let me know which CAP standard you violated?  I'm prepping for our CAP inspection and want to ensure that we have this standard covered. Thank you!

Ziplock baggies with preprinted stickers with Expiration date and lot number that operators need to fill out. No inspectors yet, but that is our approach to this new request!

And must be ziplocks with No biohazard labeling since that is a "dirty" bag even if never used before. Costco has great deals on volume!

Vy Le, we were cited under COM.30400, Reagent expiration date.  Obviously lancets are not a reagent, but we didn't fight it because we had no idea if the lancets poured into bins had expired.  So it is going to come down to your inspector and what you think the correct thing to do is. You may consider calling CAP to clarify.  I believe that TJC (if you are inspected by them) is looking at an Infection Prevention standard.  TJC is absolutely looking at this very hard.  

Good luck on your CAP inspection!

Agree with Vivian on TJC inspections in clinical areas. We were ok on lancet exp in latest survey but got nailed inpatient on “soiled” meters where the soil was inside the meter seam (between front & back pieces). I’m told the hospital surveyor used an alcohol wipe running down the inside of the seam (which is barely doable- I carry a very skinny letter opener with a beveled tip when I check ambulatory meters). If anything came off on wipe, unit was cited. Unit after unit failed.