unconsc. pt: taping eyes shut?

[LucidResq]

Had an interesting dicussion with my buddy last night. She's an ER tech. They had a cor brought in, and during the hustle and bustle a nurse asked her to drop some saline in the pts eyes because they were wide open and desiccating. I asked why she didn't tape her eyes shut after that. She was confused.

Now, I was taught that with an unconscious pt that is likely to stay out for a while, one should take some transpore and tape their eyelids shut to avoid this problem. I have seen this done before, but according to my friend she never sees it done in the busy ER she works in.

So... I understand why you could be too busy in the prehospital setting to do this, especially if you're working something like a cor, but doesn't it just make sense to do once you have higher priorities taken care of?

 

[Epi-do]

What's a "cor"?

 

[HotelCo]

What's a "cor"?

I've never heard of taping a patient's eyes shut.

 

[medicdan]

It's done very often in the OR and ICU, but havent seen it elsewhere. I see no reason to do it in the field.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Had an interesting dicussion with my buddy last night. She's an ER tech. They had a cor brought in, and during the hustle and bustle a nurse asked her to drop some saline in the pts eyes because they were wide open and desiccating. I asked why she didn't tape her eyes shut after that. She was confused.

Now, I was taught that with an unconscious pt that is likely to stay out for a while, one should take some transpore and tape their eyelids shut to avoid this problem. I have seen this done before, but according to my friend she never sees it done in the busy ER she works in.

So... I understand why you could be too busy in the prehospital setting to do this, especially if you're working something like a cor, but doesn't it just make sense to do once you have higher priorities taken care of?

You have to admit it does look a little permanent when you tape the eyes shut. Guess it could be a bit stressful for the family. Also, if the pt is allergic to adhesion, avoiding doing this might not be a bad idea.

It is, however, a lot more simple. Outside for the above, I would do this.

 

[VentMedic]

In the ED you may still be assessing pupil response and may not have sedated the patient at all but may be waiting for them to come around. If we put them down for the long haul on a ventilator with sedation and paralytics for maintenance (not just RSI), we may tape their eyes in the ED if they will be held for more than 8 hours until they get an ICU room. If they require frequent neuro checks, then no tape. If there is any chance of them waking up spontaneously, no tape.

 

[nibejeebies]

honestly if I woke up from being out of it and found that i had to remove tape from my eyes, I'd be rasing some seroius cane at the attending staff. I doubt very much that I would ever do this. I have with a gloved hand, moved the eyelids closed, but never taped them.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Exactly. In the OR, we know exactly when they are going to wake up. Although I am not sure what a "cor" is (maybe you meant CPR?), I suspect we do not know if or when they will wake up. But there is a good lesson to be learned here about keeping the eyes hydrated. It's something that is not taught in EMS education that probably should be.

 

[LucidResq]

cor = cor zero = cardiac arrest.

Maybe it's a local thing? Interesting... pretty standard terminology around here, at least.

 

[VentMedic]

cor = cor zero = cardiac arrest.

Maybe it's a local thing? Interesting... pretty standard terminology around here, at least.

Cor is Latin for the word heart.

Cor Pulmonale
Cor Team
Cordis Corporation
Ectopia Cordis

 

[AJ Hidell]

Definitely local. I've never heard it in any of the multiple states I have practiced in.

I knew the root of the word, and it's meaning. But I've never heard it used in the context you're using it in.

 

[LucidResq]

Funny. I googled it and found it randomly discussed as an aside on this allnurses thread.

Apparently it is just a Colorado thing.

 

[VentMedic]

Definitely local. I've never heard it in any of the multiple states I have practiced in.

I knew the root of the word, and it's meaning. But I've never heard it used in the context you're using it in.

No, I had never heard of it used by itself either. I just happened to know it from RT school when studying Cor Pulmonale.

To be honest I didn't pay much attention to different abbreviations like I often don't pay any attention to DIB. To me that is still "dead in bed".

 

[AJ Hidell]

...I often don't pay any attention to DIB. To me that is still "dead in bed".

You mean it's not? :unsure: