We have received some recent feedback from Joint Commission Resources regarding the handling of eye drop vials in our ophthalmology clinic. Currently, our ophthalmology techs will carry the 3 different medication vials in their pockets and use the multidose vials to administer eye drops to the different patients during the day. Our clinic sees approx. 90 pediatric patients a day.
Acknowledging:
- Potential infection control issues
- Risk of contamination
- Medication security
We explored single-dose medication vials, which revealed that the drops only come in 2-3 cc vials, and 2 of the 3 frequently have low availability due to the supply chain.
How do you handle the administration of eye drops in your ophthalmology clinic? We would appreciate your insights and suggestions on this matter.
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Barry Owen BSN RN MBA NEA-BC
Children's Health
469-236-1899
barry.owen@childrens.com------------------------------