Does your Doc prepare the syringe in front of you?

[Mommy2Teagan]

At my last appointment the nurse came in from the other room (syringe in hand) and gave my baby her shot. Is this normal? I guess I'm paranoid and I was uncomfortable with the fact that I had no idea what was in that syringe. I know it may be overly paranoid thinking that she could have for any reason made a mistake and got the wrong vax, but I guess it's okay being a little paranoid when your child's safety is in question.

[Marnica]

I donj't vax so I can't tell you by personal experience, but I have read posts from other moms about mix ups with vaccines and the wornd ones being given and then discovering this after the fact. I don't think you are being overly paranoid at all. You shouldn't take anybody's word for anything!! I mean geez even when I get a pedicure now, I make sure I actually SEE the people clean the instruments. If I don't see it, I say something. I have been told that the stuff is sterilized between people with UV. That's great but I didn't see you do it so can you please clean them off in alcohol now while I watch! I don't think you can be too careful nowadays, mistakes happen all to frequently!

[CanidFL]

I would not be comfy with DS getting a shot that was not prepared in front of me. I don't vax but my ped office prepares all vax outside the room. The baby scale is right beside the fridge and I see the nurses get the vax ready and take it ino the room.

I would ask they do this in front of you next time.

Make sure you read the manufacturers insert as well before getting the vax! Your doctor should have this available and there is some surprising info in there that they don't typically tell you.

Or if you know what vax your LO will be getting, you can look it up ahead of time here:

http://vaers.hhs.gov/pdf/PackageInserts.pdf

[Ophelia]

At DS's 12mo vaccines (which I objected to but was bullied into like all the other ones), the nurse gave him an EXPIRED HiB and didn't realize it until after. Another thing to keep an eye on.

[ZoeyZoo]

I can't answer about a ped since I don't vax but I used to vax my dogs. The vet used to prepare the syringe in front of us.

[Lazy Gardens]

If you want the syringe completely prepared in front of you, just ask.

It's customary to prepare it out of the patient's or parents view because seeing naked needles waved around tends to increase a patient's stress levels. Some of them hyperventilate, tense up, or even pass out at the sight of the needle.

[erin_brycesmom]

I would definitely want to observe every step of the way. I don't think you are being overly paranoid at all. In addition to making sure it was the right vax, I would also want to make sure that the needles were handled properly. We no longer vax but I orginally started out vaxing my oldest. They always prepared the syringes in front of me but once the tech dropped the syringe on the floor with the cap off (when she still had one more syringe to fill). The needle literally bounced on the dirty floor.

[kriket]

Originally Posted by Lazy Gardens

seeing naked needles waved around tends to increase a patient's stress levels. Some of them hyperventilate, tense up, or even pass out at the sight of the needle.

they like the sausage but don't want to see it made!

I don't vax people, but I do vax dogs, I do the vaxes myself, I like to know exactly what everyone's getting.

I hate combo vaxes, and I have a shepherd that the vex tried to give ivermectin (sp?) to. She gave me the, well all this ladies collies are fine. :

[bobandjess99]

i would let the office know you want it prepared in front of you next time, that's all. I have heard too many stoeis about expired or "hot lot" vaxes being given even though they were told no, or the wrong vax given entirely (like if you are selctively vaxing and wanted to give tetanus, but not hib, and OOPS, turns out she got the hib, not we'll just do the tetanus too...) or else doctors slipping in combo vaxes when the parents had only wanted 1 vax...like getting the new 5 in 1 shot instead of just dtap, again..ooops!