Just took a quick sample from the nurses on how JCAHO regulations can be harmful. Started a lively discussion with everyone having plenty to say.
Some of the highlights;
NS (normal saline), the IV fluid most commonly used to replenish body fluids (from everything from trauma to dehydration), is now considered a "drug" and must be locked away. Which means that when you get your gunshot wound and come into the ER, you will have to wait until a nurse can get in the mandatorily-locked med room (another genius JCAHO regulation) to get the NS that will save your life.
Lidocaine, which comes in small vials only accessible by needle entry, is a medicine used to anesthetize areas for suture repair. Wounds are extremely common in the ED and most have a "suture cart" that trucks around to all the wound repairs. Lidocaine is obviously way too dangerous to have on these carts. Yup...locked away in the med room. This causes indirect as it slows down patient flow and makes us unable to treat sick patients as quickly. This probably doesn't sound like nearly as big of a deal to the outsider as it is.
Hydrogen peroxide--another drug far too deadly to be in patient rooms. This one's just annoying.
RSI drugs--used to intubate patients. Need to be locked in the med room. Hope that intubation isn't really urgent.
Lots of more drug examples, as the discussion kind of went this direction. All show no conceivable safety benefit to patients with possibly serious consequences. All formulated by "doctors" with the apparent clinical acumen of Mike.
Again, not against regulation. Just would like some informed regulation.
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