The message <004001be91fe$85b05880$5f8bf2c2@pcwhj>
from "john ryan" <[log in to unmask]> contains these words:
> Interesting comment from a patient today, a ketoacidotic diabetic. I
> cleansed the skin with an alcohol swab bit she then asked me to wipe the
> skin dry as she said that cannulation after cleansing the skin with an
> alcohol swab is more painful than cannulation of dry skin. I had never
> heard this before and wondered if this was the voice of experience from a
> frequently canulated person (20th admission in 18 months with ketoacidosis
> but thats another story) or was it her imagination ? Has anyone else had
> this experience (either as canulator or canulatee !)
> A controlled blinded trial beckons. Any volunteers for cannulation ?
Not really. Surely 70% isopropyl alcohol is painful on any break in the skin?
It strikes me that it matters little whether the alcohol is applied
before or after the wound, (so long as it is still wet.)
You could try applying either isopropyl alcohol or normal saline to a
wound and finding out which is the more painful. I doubt if there
would be any ground breaking results here.
There again, your ketoacidotic patient might be trying to increase
her exposure to skin bacteria in the hope of a bacteraemia prolonging
her hospital stay...
--
Helen D. Vecht
[log in to unmask]
Kingsbury,
London NW9.
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