Blood Lancet Devices

[Arctickat]

I just stumbled across some information and thought I'd check with you folks. What procedure do you follow when using a lancet to acquire a capillary blood sample? Do you have single use disposable devices or do you have the reloadable pen style?

[island emt]

We use a one time disposable type. Don't know the brand off the top of my head. Orange plastic with a white plunger, Snap it punctures and safes the needle.

If I remember the price was $25.00 ish for 250 in a box. Get them from boundtree catalog.

[paramedicmike]

Every place I've ever worked has used the single use, spring loaded lancets.

[scubanurse]

Ditto, I have only ever seen single use lancets in the field and in facilities.

[YoungEMT95]

We use single use spring loaded lancets that safe the needle.

[Just Plain Ruff]

There shouldn't be any use of reloadable lancets. Think Infection control. The single use lancets should be the only option according to my infection control contact.

[Arctickat]

Thanks guys. We were recently issued new glucometers by our health region that included the reloadable pen device. I challenged them on the use of the devices because the standard of practice has prohibited their use for almost a decade. They haven't responded, but I refuse to use them.

[BEorP]

Thanks guys. We were recently issued new glucometers by our health region that included the reloadable pen device. I challenged them on the use of the devices because the standard of practice has prohibited their use for almost a decade. They haven't responded, but I refuse to use them.

Good call! They may want to look into what happened in this case: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/06/06/mb-diabetes-tests-southeast-collegiate.html

The specific details of the potential exposure aren't completely clear from the news article (it refers to a "diabetes testing pen"), but it does say:

"The device — the little pen-like device — is meant to be a single-user device. The device itself should not be shared between people," said Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, head of the pediatrics and child health department at the university's medical school.

The lancets were changed for each person, Rockman-Greenberg said, but the professor did not realize the pen itself is not safe for use by multiple individuals.