Question

It is your first week on a clinical rotation. As a novice, one of your assignments is to replenish supplies for each ultrasound room. You notice that no single packets or new bottles of sonographic gel are available. When you mention this to your clinical instructor, you are told that the policy at this hospital/clinic is to simply refill the existing gel bottles from a larger “replacement” bottle. From your studies, you know that this practice opens a possible infection pathway. You express this to the clinical instructor but are told to follow the institutional policy. How can you correct the problem without risking potential repercussions against the clinical rotation arrangements between your ultrasound program and this site?

Answer 1

As a sonographer, one should not allow the dispenser tip to come in direct contact with the patient, staff, transducer, or environment in any way possible. Also while dispensing gel, the bottle needs to be squeezed for the get to come out. As it relaxes the atmospheric air gets sucked in the bottle which may lead to a buildup of microorganisms. This buildup can be avoided by using a gel warmer. It helps to warm the gel equivalent to the patient's body temperature and can help in a smooth procedure.

Small gel bottles should not be continuously reused for a long period of time as it has been used by many people for several procedures and the probability of cross-infection is high. So it is advised not to use a single bottle for several days even if it has been cleaned before refilling.