Nitro paste is no fun

[Spoonerism]

About 5 this morning I was moving a patient to the observation unit and didn't notice the nitro patch he had taken off and stuck to the side of the stretcher.(For those of you who haven't spent time with heart problems, nitro paste is the gel form of nitroglycerin that is spread on a dosing patch and applied to the skin, it absorbs quickly and is one of the best things in the world to increase circulation to the heart.) As I was dropping the bed rail to let the patient walk in to his room, I slid my left and across the nitro patch. My first instinct was to rub what ever was on my hand off... With my other hand. As I was wondering why I just spread the unknown grossness all over my hands I looked down and saw what it was. It took a few minutes to get the patient settled and do the hand off to the nurse but as soon as I was done I made a bee line to the sink to wash up. Unfortunately I was too late. Less than 10 minutes later my head was pounding and spinning like I had just pounded 3 glasses of red wine. I finished up my shift and made it to the couch where I sit now. My head isn't hurting bad, but I'm still too dizzy to do much. On the bright side it shouldn't last more than a few more hours.

[Smoke4320]

wow .. if you were already at a hospital was there not something that would counteract the Nitro or is it just wait it out till gone thru system ?

[Spoonerism]

wow .. if you were already at a hospital was there not something that would counteract the Nitro or is it just wait it out till gone thru system ?

I do think there is any kind of antidote. A cardiac nurse told me to take something for the head ache and sit down if I got too dizzy. I can only imagine how bad it would feel to get a full dose for the hours patients wear the patch, but I guess it's easier to take when you are fighting off a heart attack.

[Smoke4320]

Glad you are ok .. Just goes to show how easy it is to transfer something in a hospital situation .. patient probably never even considered/knew the issue or problem he might create

[Spoonerism]

Hospitals are dangerous places. One lost needle, one dropped pill, even a precaution sign not hung up can be deadly. In the past month I've been exposed to C.diff and TB, all because lab results weren't filed in the right section of the chart. I can't blame anyone for it really. A continuous string of minor things led up to it. The ER nurse didn't notice it was missing, the patient didn't tell the nurse it came off, I didn't see it, I didn't glove up before I put the rail down. All in all I see this as a lesson to be more careful, today it was just nitro, tomorrow it could be a needle. I thank God it was a lesson I'll be sure to learn too.

[aspangler]

I carry the nitro pills and can agree with you as to the weird feeling you get when you take it. The guy probably didn't realize what he was doing. Hope you recover ok. BTW I am in Bluff City.

[Bloodman14]

I work as a mobile phlebotomist (aka, 'vampire'), going from nursing home to nursing home collecting blood and other specimens. I have finally 'stuck' myself (bound to happen sooner or later, thank God it was a clean needle!), and that definitely taught me a lesson. I have also been exposed to C. Diff, TB, MRSA, VRE, and a few others, and I can say for certain, protective procedures, aka, 'universal precautions', are there for a reason. I hope you are feeling better. Be safe.

[Spoonerism]

I carry the nitro pills and can agree with you as to the weird feeling you get when you take it. The guy probably didn't realize what he was doing. Hope you recover ok. BTW I am in Bluff City.

It's starting to ease off. I appreciate all the well wishes. I don't make it down that way very often but Bluff city is a nice little town.

[Rufus Krile]

Is there any proof to the rumor that the antidote is two pulled-pork sandwiches and a half-pack of cigarettes?

[Tom W.]

I was told by my cardiologist that if nitro gives you a headache then you really didn't need it at that time. If it doesn't give you a headache get ready to call 911......

[Spoonerism]

Is there any proof to the rumor that the antidote is two pulled-pork sandwiches and a half-pack of cigarettes?

That will definitely get the blood pressure back up, and could ease the side effects. I should have tried that.

[Geezer in NH]

Glove up!

[Spoonerism]

Glove up!

I definitely will next time. And I'll be sure to pay more attention, one needle stick and it can be game over.

[runfiverun]

some people hate to shoot bulls-eye powder because the nitro content gives them a headache.

[osteodoc08]

Hospitals and ERs can be very dangerous places. Stay safe.

[Lloyd Smale]

cant believe they let you just go home! Youd think for liability reasons if nothing else they would have kept you there till the symptoms past

[martianlanding]

So here is what happened. Nitroglycerin is used to dilate your blood vessels in order to allow more blood and oxygen to your heart. The problem (especially you guys taking ******/******) is that when you dilate all your vessels you basically drop your blood pressure. The headache will pass in a couple of hours and your heart will compensate for the drop in blood pressure. Next time wear gloves when transferring patients. They all have cooties of some sort.

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[ghh3rd]

My daughter works in the Pharmacy for a large hospital, and often has to deliver the drugs used during surgery. She dropped a bottle of Propofol that was to be used for general anesthesia, which broke open and splashed on her feet. She spent the remainder of the day in the employee sick room.

[martianlanding]

Propofol in its intravenous form that a hospital would have does not absorb transdermally (through the skin). I get Propofol on my hands at work several times a week never even got a buzz. I feel robbed. Even when used IV Propofol wears off in about 15 minutes.

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[shoot-n-lead]

Now you know why the patient took it off.

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

[WRideout]

some people hate to shoot bulls-eye powder because the nitro content gives them a headache.

Many years ago I read in Popular Science magazine about a construction worker who was blowing up rocks with dynamite. He handled some leaky sticks with his bare hands, and had much the reaction described above.

Wayne

[ghh3rd]

Well that was her story, and I'm sticking to it :roll:.

[popper]

I was given the pill and morphine after stent put in my leg, didn't notice anything funny. I did sleep good. They thought I'd had a heart slight attack - so put in a pacemaker. Heart would stop & then restart (propofol - irregular heart rate). Talked to wife's relative that teaches anesthesia in FW. Told her I woke up in the middle of the procedure, she said it was just because I'm a redhead - they react differently to meds. She was serious. Probably just due to high triglycerides.

[Bookworm]

My wife was in ICU for over a week a few years ago, a very close call. I was astonished at how busy an ICU room actually is. Personnel coming in and out all the time, very busy.

Also, I learned something. ICU is no place to be alone.

Every time someone came in the room, I asked questions.
Who are you ? Why are you here ? what test so you want to do, and why ? who ordered the test ? what results are expected ? what are you looking for ?

I kept a notebook ( I was there, in her room, for 72 hours straight. Finally left for 2 hours to go home and shower, check the mail - came right back) in which I wrote everything down.
Names, times, etc.

Hospitals are very dangerous places, and anyone can walk right in....

[CHeatermk3]

What the heck is "C. diff."?

[Spoonerism]

What the heck is "C. diff."?

Clostridium difficile colitis. It's an infection in the large intestine that causes swelling, pain and just about the worst diarrhea imaginable. It can be spread by contact with the skin because the body some how ends up releasing fecal bacteria through the sweat glands. It's bad business and very contagious. You end up passing what you ate in about the same condition it was swallowed.

[Spoonerism]

My wife was in ICU for over a week a few years ago, a very close call. I was astonished at how busy an ICU room actually is. Personnel coming in and out all the time, very busy.

Also, I learned something. ICU is no place to be alone.

Every time someone came in the room, I asked questions.
Who are you ? Why are you here ? what test so you want to do, and why ? who ordered the test ? what results are expected ? what are you looking for ?

I kept a notebook ( I was there, in her room, for 72 hours straight. Finally left for 2 hours to go home and shower, check the mail - came right back) in which I wrote everything down.
Names, times, etc.

Hospitals are very dangerous places, and anyone can walk right in....

I can not encourage keeping records like that enough. Always keep track of who does what because hospitals are very good at covering their tracks. The ICU where I work is run like a Swiss watch in a German prison. No one comes or goes without approval, the doors are locked and alarmed and the nurses are some of the most hard core individuals I have ever met, but even then people still can make mistakes. Knowing who did what can mean the difference between life and death if a problem arises.

[Duckiller]

Spoonerism sorry about your experience with nitro gel. As a person diagnosed with multiple heart attacks I find nitro gel sort of friendly. Cardiologist is starting to question my 11 heart attacks. Heart does not show damage that should be associated with triponin levels of 70-85. MRI to check out damage in early August. Am very claustrophobic and must be out before I go into the machine.

[jdfoxinc]

I met Cooney of Cooneys explosives the Sumer of 2004. Very interesting guy. He said that every time he waled into his dynamite magazine he would collapse for a min. Just from the nitroglycerin fumes. Then have a headach the rest of the day.

[GaryN]

My wife was in the hospital for a few days one time. There was a room across the hall that was quarantined. Every time a nurse went in they gowned up with masks, gloves, the whole thing. Must have been very contagious. Then a guy came around getting blood. He just walked right in. I guess he wasn't paying attention.

[Spoonerism]

My wife was in the hospital for a few days one time. There was a room across the hall that was quarantined. Every time a nurse went in they gowned up with masks, gloves, the whole thing. Must have been very contagious. Then a guy came around getting blood. He just walked right in. I guess he wasn't paying attention.

The mask, gloves and gown are what's called "universal precautions". They are for just about anything from MRSA and VRE to TB. The flu is also covered and alot of people only follow the protocol for bad stuff that can infect a healthy person. It's best to gown up for most things but those gowns are hot and uncomfortable so some people skip the protective equipment even though they really shouldn't.

[smokeywolf]

Many years ago my youngest boy, who was around 7 months old at the time, underwent surgery. Once transferred out of PICU, was in a standard room. Nurse came in, went straight to his crib, grasped the railing with both hands and started smiling and cooing to him. She went into the bathroom, washed her hands, came back, put gloves on and grasped the railing in the same place she had before washing her hands. She then started to reach toward him. I gave a quick, "HEY!". She looked at me and I said, "Your hands are no longer sanitary". She countered with, "I washed my hands and I'm wearing gloves". I said, "And those gloves just touched the crib railing where your bare unwashed hands touched one minute ago". She huffed, yanked her gloves off, donned a fresh pair and checked his temp and whatever else, without touching the crib railing.

I related the story to the nursing supervisor and very politely asked to either move my son to another room covered by a different nurse or just assign a different nurse to his case.

He still contracted Rotavirus while at that hospital, as did several other children in the pediatrics wing.

Since then, we always bring our own pack of sanitary wipes to the hospital whenever one of us has been admitted.

Most people, including many in medicine are clueless regarding what it takes to keep from transmitting germs and bacteria.

[Spoonerism]

Most know how to not spread infection, but about a third either don't care, or are burnt out to a point that they can't care. I know alot of nurses that regret going in to nursing, but fresh out of high school they decided they wanted to be a nurse, not knowing it's nothing like what you see on TV or even how it was 20 years ago. Peds nurses are usually the first to burn out. They think is going to be all stuffy noses and belly aches and they they get a 15 yo OD on pills or a 2 year old that got beat to the point of brain damage. After a year or 2 of that and they completely lose the ability to care. It's sad that a hospital environment can destroy all hope some one has. I could fill a thread with things I've seen and heard people do and say. To sum my experience up; hospitals is scary.

[Beagle333]

Many years ago my youngest boy, who was around 7 months old at the time, underwent surgery. Once transferred out of PICU, was in a standard room. Nurse came in, went straight to his crib, grasped the railing with both hands and started smiling and cooing to him. She went into the bathroom, washed her hands, came back, put gloves on and grasped the railing in the same place she had before washing her hands. She then started to reach toward him. I gave a quick, "HEY!". She looked at me and I said, "Your hands are no longer sanitary". She countered with, "I washed my hands and I'm wearing gloves". I said, "And those gloves just touched the crib railing where your bare unwashed hands touched one minute ago". She huffed, yanked her gloves off, donned a fresh pair and checked his temp and whatever else, without touching the crib railing.


It always grosses me out when my dental hygienist comes in to the room, gloves up, and then swings the instrument tray into position and adjusts the overhead lamp. Because you just know that the last time she moved that tray out of position and put the lamp back up higher, her gloves were glistening with the previous person's saliva.

Glad you are okay after the patch incident.