We had a patient that was aspirating. The concern was whether or not it was tube feeds. Before we would add some food coloring to the tube feeds and then see what color the mucus was that the patient coughed up. Now we cant because somebody wrote a paper that it might cause a reducing agent problem. I tried to explain to the nutritionists that we were just going to use the same stuff that was in the cupcakes in the cafeteria but they wouldn't hear of it. All they said was the potential danger of the dye. In my own retaliatory manner I flooded them with case reports where tube feeding was accidentally run into central lines because it is the same color as the lipids in the TPN. They didn't think it was funny. I solved the problem by putting Gator Aid in the tube feed and sure enough he was aspirating!
This led me to wonder. We are always trying to be sure the wrong medication is not given to the wrong patient. Why don't we color the medications so that even when they are in the syringe of the bag we know that something is wrong. After all, patients take pills that are different colors. Make morphine blue, decadron yellow, ancef green and so on. That way when you walk into the room you know hey these are the meds he is on. Oh, never mind, that makes common sense.
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4 comments:
GOOD for you Throckmorton!
I think that is a super idea - so simple and obvious.
But shame on you for offering up a common sense idea ..really now.
Btw - have you read how even some dems are concerned about plausibility of implementing by fall and Sebilious(sp?) seems overwhelmed and clueless, etc?
They know this is the Titanic of health care bills and haven't provided the lifeboats for all the people that are already being compromised by this and all those that most certainly will be.
Hi Throckmorton - off topic, but just read this in Kevin MD and wondered what you would think of the following: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/04/4-hard-truths-obamacare.html
I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
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You're missed Throckmorton. I know you must be super busy with everything going on with health care now, but would love to read your take on all these things going on now. I'm still praying we'll be able to keep our ins and somehow the bill will be repealed or at least revised with better ideas. keep the good and get rid of the bad. A collaborative effort by both parties and DOCTORS.
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