A POTENTIAL INFECTION HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF DISPOSABLE SALINE VIALS

Nosocomial respiratory tract infections have occasionally been associated with contaminated respiratory therapy devices and techniques. In the past 2 yr, a hospital purchased disposable saline squeeze vials for use during suctioning of intubated patients. These vials have a cap which must be flipped or twisted-off by the user before the contents can be instilled into the patient''s respiratory tract. Use of this item in the intensive care units (ICU) was observed; the potential for contamination was studied. ICU nurses use ungloved hand(s) to flip or twist-off squeeze vial cups, resulting in skin contact with the vial opening. Cultures of nurses'' hands and squeeze vial contents were obtained in the ICU where 24 nurses opened 92 vials in the manner previously described. Of vial contents, 23% were contaminated; cultures revealed Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, viridans streptococci and enterococcus. On 6 occasions, organisms recovered from vial contents were believed to be identical to organisms isolated from the hands of the nurse who opened the vial. When nurses used care in removing the saline vial cap, cultures of vial contents were sterile.