Nova Glucose strip vial dating
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This is an age-old problem and I'm wondering if anyone has come up with any kind of solution. The Nova Glucose strip vials need an opened date and an expiration date when they are put into use, preferably with an indelible marker and covered with scotch tape. Our Supply Chain stocks nursing's par bins. How do you get compliance on nursing doing this? This s not an education issue; it's purely compliance. We perform audits all the time and nursing admin does not appear to take it seriously. Sure enough, got cited last week during our CAP inspection because the inspector found one un-dated vial out of the two she looked at. I know; there should've been a more thorough look, but I didn't feel it was my place to suggest that, and truth be told, I'm sure there were more out and about with the 70 meters in use. My director asked what the resolution will be in our CAP response, and I told her that I have nothing! I honestly don't know what more the POC Dept. can do. I asked her to request a meeting with nursing admin and ask them how we should respond. I feel it comes down to accountability and the charge or lead should be ultimately responsible, include this as part of report between shifts, and start writing them up when they're found. You would think that after a few write-ups they would give it attention. This would never be a continuous problem in the Lab, at least not in ours. I appreciate any wisdom you may have!
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When the Nova was used here, we finally resorted to sending all strips up in the tube system-dated by the lab. They received one vial per meter on each unit.
We would round every two weeks-knowing exactly how many bottles were on each unit.
This was a small hospital (36 meters).
With this process, the lab was the hardest to educate as to the process, especially the off shifts.
I removed an ISTAT from an ER using the procedure once with all of the appropriate documentation that it required. The ER nurse manager was almost fired.
I have never been close to that with a meter due to the fact that one mention of the procedure to the unit......and they start to pay attention.
Patsy Gunn, we did try some of your suggestions; we supplied a marker with velcro by the par bin and that fell by the wayside, there is signage near the meters "If YOU open it, YOU date it!". We perform a random audit of our whole house at different times each month and send out a report to all of the managers and educators of who was 100% compliant, partially compliant, and not compliant at all. I like the idea of them performing the audit, however I feel like they will cover for each other and slap a date on the vial, but at least the vial will be dated. Sad to have to think that way. The very morning of the CAP inspection, rounding was performed and a mass email went out to all of the managers and assistant managers to especially check the vials. In the morning, I'm sure everything was as it should be, however when the inspector was checking at 1:30, a vial was put in use and not dated because it is not habit for them.
I would love to threaten pulling the meters, but I know I would not get any support because it is too much of a risk to patient care. I was able to pull UAs from the ER, but that certainly is not as impactful as a BGL. But I will definitely mention this during our meeting!