ncage
07-07-2003, 10:25 PM
Ok guys here goes...this post will allow those willing to take the extra steps to insure the utmost sterililty for injections. What I will assume and i won't cover in this post is im assuming the solution your injecting is sterile (i will leave that for another post).
Here is one important but crucial point:
never ever and i mean EVER use a needle twice. Its the most stupid thing you can do. Needles are EXTREMLY cheap and there is no reason why you should have to use them twice. I will explain where the problems come in. No matter how hard you scrub with soap (antibacterial doesn't matter) you skin has a flora of microbes. Some of these microbs actually help us. Yea scrubbing with soap does help but within a few hours the population is back up. These bacteria are harmless when on the skin but if they get inside your blood stream there can be major problems. If for some reason you have to pull the needle out of your skink; DO NOT REUSE IT. Throw away the needle and put a new one on the syringe.
Here are the steps i take (feel free to include or omit steps, of course the more steps you incluce the more sterile you will remain)
1) clens the area with an alcohol swab. Go in a circular motion from the inner most part to the outer most part. Try not to go over an area twice
2) Get a cotton swab and lightly soak it with a Betadine solution (ill explain what this is below). Again use same motion that you used for the swab.
--If you ever watched surgeons scrub in. That black substance they use when they are scrubbing thier body is betadine. It is an EXTREMLY good antibacterial solution (why do you think surgeons would scrub in using it?). Yes it is a little expensive 10-12 a bottle but it will last you a LONG time. Be extremly careful when using it. Anything it gets on, it will stain badly.
3) clean the top of each vial (if you are using vials) with a alcohol swab per vial.
4) Ok now that you have sterilized the injection site open the needle/syringe in the following way. Grab the two flaps at the top making sure not to touch the needle. If you have to put the needle onto the syringe use the cap and slightly twist the cap so it slides onto the syringe. NEVER EVER TOUCH THE METAL PART OF THE NEEDLE TO ANYTHING. If it touches anything throw it away.
Something i will state for the book is generally i don't like the idea of putting multiple types of gear in the same syringe and i will tell you why; there is a chance for cross contamination when sticking the needle into two vials but i do admint i do it. Because if you inject some of those high alcohol solutions you won't be walking right for a couple of days as we all know. So only way to improve the burn is to dilute it with something else. Of course the best way would be to somehow mix everything in one vial.
Where do i get all of this information or am i just pulling this out of my ass? Nope, i use to be in the medical field and am still registered.
Well guys, hope you enjoyed this litle post and stay sterile!!!
Peace,
Ncage
Here is one important but crucial point:
never ever and i mean EVER use a needle twice. Its the most stupid thing you can do. Needles are EXTREMLY cheap and there is no reason why you should have to use them twice. I will explain where the problems come in. No matter how hard you scrub with soap (antibacterial doesn't matter) you skin has a flora of microbes. Some of these microbs actually help us. Yea scrubbing with soap does help but within a few hours the population is back up. These bacteria are harmless when on the skin but if they get inside your blood stream there can be major problems. If for some reason you have to pull the needle out of your skink; DO NOT REUSE IT. Throw away the needle and put a new one on the syringe.
Here are the steps i take (feel free to include or omit steps, of course the more steps you incluce the more sterile you will remain)
1) clens the area with an alcohol swab. Go in a circular motion from the inner most part to the outer most part. Try not to go over an area twice
2) Get a cotton swab and lightly soak it with a Betadine solution (ill explain what this is below). Again use same motion that you used for the swab.
--If you ever watched surgeons scrub in. That black substance they use when they are scrubbing thier body is betadine. It is an EXTREMLY good antibacterial solution (why do you think surgeons would scrub in using it?). Yes it is a little expensive 10-12 a bottle but it will last you a LONG time. Be extremly careful when using it. Anything it gets on, it will stain badly.
3) clean the top of each vial (if you are using vials) with a alcohol swab per vial.
4) Ok now that you have sterilized the injection site open the needle/syringe in the following way. Grab the two flaps at the top making sure not to touch the needle. If you have to put the needle onto the syringe use the cap and slightly twist the cap so it slides onto the syringe. NEVER EVER TOUCH THE METAL PART OF THE NEEDLE TO ANYTHING. If it touches anything throw it away.
Something i will state for the book is generally i don't like the idea of putting multiple types of gear in the same syringe and i will tell you why; there is a chance for cross contamination when sticking the needle into two vials but i do admint i do it. Because if you inject some of those high alcohol solutions you won't be walking right for a couple of days as we all know. So only way to improve the burn is to dilute it with something else. Of course the best way would be to somehow mix everything in one vial.
Where do i get all of this information or am i just pulling this out of my ass? Nope, i use to be in the medical field and am still registered.
Well guys, hope you enjoyed this litle post and stay sterile!!!
Peace,
Ncage