Description of Event or Problem · 1
FIXATIVE/TRANSPORT MEDIA AVAILABLE FOR STOOL SPECIMEN FOR OVA AND PARASITES/GIARDIA ANTIGEN IN CONTAINER SUPPLIED ONLY WITH NON-CHILD PROOF CAP DESPITE TOXIC/POISENOUS NATURE WITH MSDS HEALTH HAZARD FOR INGESTION PROMINENTLY NOTED. DEATH, COMA, BLINDNESS, CNS DEPRESSION NOTED BY MFR. ATTEMPT TO SECURE CHILD PROOF CONTAINERS (MOST OFTEN SUPPLIED TO PT'S/FAMILIES BY PROVIDER OFFICES) BY THIS MFR AND OTHER SIMILAR COMPANIES INDICATED CHILD PROOF TOPS NOT AVAILABLE. OTHER MFRS USE MERCURY AND FORMULIN (BRIGHT PINK LIKE KOOL-AID) SOLUTIONS WITHOUT CHILD PROOF TOPS. NOTE: RPTR'S LARGE IMMIGRANT PEDIATRIC PT POPULATION FREQUENTLY REQUIRES SCREENING FOR INTESTINAL PARASITES AND OTHER STOOL EXAMS. QUALITY ASSURANCE CONCERNS AT HOSP LED LAB TO CHANGE TO USE OF TRANSPORT MEDIA FOR ALL STOOL SPECIMENS RECENTLY. TRIED MULTIPLE LABS AND EXTENSIVE USE OF THIS MEDIA AND SIMILAR MEDIAS - NONE WITH CHILD PROOF CUPS ABLE TO BE LOCATED DESPITE OBVIOUS DANGERS. WHILE RPTR'S COMPLAINT DEALS WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSPORT MEDIA, INVESTIGATION BY THE HOSP LAB SUPERVISORS (AT RPTR'S REQUEST) HAS YIELDED EVIDENCE OF AN INDUSTRY-WIDE UNAVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATE AND SAFE CONTAINERS FOR SPECIMEN TRANSPORT (TO ASSURE QUALITY CONTROL AND GOOD DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS) WHILE LIKEWISE ASSURING CHILD SAFETY. RPTR'S OWN SURVEY OF OTHER LABS WHICH THEY MIGHT USE INCLUDING LAB CORPS AND QUEST (FORMERLY SMITH KLINE BEECHAM) WITH THE SAME INQUIRY FURTHERED CONCERN OF PRODUCT SAFETY ASSURANCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE PRODUCTS FOR STABILIZATION OF STOOL SAMPLES ARE LIKEWISE DANGEROUS FOR ADULTS AND HANDLERS. IT IS THE POLICY OF MOST OFFICES TO GIVE THE CONTAINERS TO PTS OR PARENTS TO MINIMIZE STOOL HANDLING AND MAXIMIZE INFECTION CONTROL. RPTR CANNOT DO THAT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE KNOWING THE RISK TO PEDIATRIC PTS. IT HAS BEEN THE POLICY IN SOME OFFICES FOR THE FAMILY TO BRING THE SAMPLE TO THE OFFICE AND HAVE THE HEALTHCARE STAFF EFFECT A TRANSFER TO THE TRANSPORT MEDIA, BUT RPTR ASSERTS THAT THIS IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION AND CAN, IN THE CASE OF SOME PATHOGENS (WHICH ARE AIRBORNE) ALLOW THE SPREAD OF INFECTION TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND OTHER PTS THROUGH INTRAOFFICE CONTAMINATION.