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Celebrating Nurses’ Monumental Impact
There is a myriad of ways to participate in National Nurses Week, which is celebrated May 6-12, from honoring your staff RNs with a gift or event to taking steps to let...
TO DYE FOR No one is going to accidentally inject purple fluid — in this case Afrin.Editor's Note
A few caveats with this tip:
- AORN says to label all solutions on the sterile field.
- Surgical site markers are intended for use on skin only.
- Although the solution is not being injected, it — and the marker dye — could come in contact with a patient's mucous membranes.
PURPLE HAZE
Why Would You Swirl a Marker Into a Clear Liquid?
When we have more than one clear liquid on the sterile field, including one that's not to be injected — usually a topical of some sort — we eliminate any possibility of a mix-up by swirling a surgical marker in the non-injectable fluid. That turns it purple and eliminates any potential confusion. An example: a nasal spray like Afrin, which is used during ear, nose, and throat surgery to improve visualization of the airway and to minimize post-operative bleeding.
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