After Lancing Clean-Up? - Page 2

orpy · #16 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 09:04 AM

Another licker here...sharps should never go in the trash but piece of tissue with a tiny bit of blood should be okay. People toss used band aids every day like this. Believe me, there are worse things in the trash than a tiny piece of tissue with a tiny bit of blood on it.

SteveFromIowa · #17 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 02:22 PM

Thanks for the answers. At the beginning, I used the alcohol swabs, but found that to be a tedious process so I only use them when my fingers are especially dirty. Mostly I use any type of dry tissue I can find after lancing and when I forget to have something around, I suck too. (It is gross and I only do it when there are no other resources).

I was hoping someone would tell me about an inexpensive tiny dispenser of mini dry absorbant (& sterile) swabs that would fit neatly into my small pouch of diabetic stuff. Oh well!

And no one seems to have major problems with putting the small bits of bloody tissue in the trash so I'm sanitarily correct with that. And I didn't ask this before, but I assume that throwing the used test strips in the trash instead of a bio container is OK too. ?

princesslinda · #18 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 02:26 PM

I have a box of tissue on my test. After I test, I put the strip inside the tissue so that housekeeping will not inadvertantly come in contact with my blood. I keep a water bottle with a lid on my desk, and put my lancets there (I reuse my lancets, so a bottle lasts a long time). When it becomes full, I put the lid on, place a piece of tape over it and put it in the trash.

I don't lick.....ever! Royal blood I guess!

poodlebone · #19 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveFromIowa

I was hoping someone would tell me about an inexpensive tiny dispenser of mini dry absorbant (& sterile) swabs that would fit neatly into my small pouch of diabetic stuff. Oh well!

At work my boss used to buy c-fold paper towels for our dispensers. I used to cut them instrips and keep them in my meter case. When unfolded, each strip would wrap around my finger several times. I'd just hold it there for half a minute. We then switched to towels on a roll and I no longer do that, just keep the one folded tissue in the case and wipe on it constantly. Have you thought about cuttin up some gauze pads? Once cut they wouldn't be sterile but neither are tissues and I really don't think it matters. The holes usually close up so fast.

Quote:

And no one seems to have major problems with putting the small bits of bloody tissue in the trash so I'm sanitarily correct with that. And I didn't ask this before, but I assume that throwing the used test strips in the trash instead of a bio container is OK too. ?

I've never thought twice about throwing bloody tissues or used strips in the trash. Someone mentioned Band Aids earlier, and I doubt most people worry about disposing of those in a special way. They just get tossed in the trash. If we had to worry about everything that comes in contact with blood, half of the population (women!) would need to invest in biohazard containers.

Nifr · #20 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 04:35 PM

Back when I used insulin pens, I would keep the alcohol swabs from cleaning the top of the pen before inserting the needle tip. When alcohol swabs dry, they the perfect size to keep in the case to clean a finger after lancing. I rarely used alcohol swabs to clean my finger, and I rarely change my lancet, so don't ask why I bothered to wipe off the top of the pen each time. Oh well. Then I switched to the insulin pump and now only use swabs to clean the top of the vial - so I end up with very few clean, dry ones to use for lancing clean up. I actually wish they just sold little packages of dry alcohol swabs for this purpose, they really are the perfect size. Now I just fold a tissue and keep it in my case. I try to change it out every day or two.

RobertIA · #21 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 04:42 PM

Steve, My small Iowa town has a $500 fine for putting needles and lancets in the trash. It has not been enforced to my knowledge and there are a lot of people that put them in the trash. I pay my fee and dispose at the hazardous waste site provided in our county. There are other sites, some hospitals, pharmacies, that will take sharps containers if properly sealed.

I use kleenex or like tissue to wipe my fingers and dispose of in the trash. I wrap the test strip in them also. I also put this in a plastic bag that the groceries come in and tie them to put in our orange trash bags the city requires all residents to use. When replacing lancets, I use the protector tab from the new one to stick the old one in and put it in the trash (about two lancets per year).

Bob

sridder · #22 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 04:58 PM

My doctor told me I could save my used needles in strong plastic container (laundry detergent or some coffee containers) and then bring to her office to be disposed with her biohazard waste at no cost.

SteveFromIowa · #23 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 06:00 PM

Here I am married for 27 years and two teenage daughters and I didn't think of that once Liz. I'll make sure my wife has the opportunity to smack me over the head for that one.

I talked to our county hospital today and they are going to give me one sharps container that I can return for free when it's full, but it will be a one time only deal with that. I'll be sure to find a legal and proper way to dispose of the needles and lancets after that.

I appreciate the moral guidance I get from this forum on doing what is right with the sharps.

It sounds like there's a potential market for a little swab dispenser. I wonder if BD reads the forums here?

Thanks again everyone for sharing!

genie86333 · #24 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 07:11 PM

I also am ok w/a tiny bit of blood on a tissue in the trash, but beware that some people aren't. At the school where I used to work, someone had thrown a tissue with a couple spots of blood on it in the trash & a teacher freaked over it.

alura · #25 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 07:57 PM

[quote=poodlebone;468455]You should not be throwing lancets in the trash because there's a very real possibility of someone getting stuck. Many hospitals, drugstores and other health facilities have sharps containers for free or low cost. Different places have different laws about how to dispose of the container once it's full. Many of the places that gave it to you will also take it back. In some places once the container is filled & sealed (and clearly marked) it can be put in with regular trash.
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I would just like to point out that I do not dispose of the lancets haphazardly. I use an Ultra Touch Mini. The lancets have a protective lid that I ALWAYS put back on. I wrap the used stip in the alcohol wipe, put the CAPPED lancet in the package and roll it up tidily. Personally, I would rather not see bloody tissues, etc in the trash.