ACCU-THERM

Description of Event or Problem

SUPERFICIAL BURN. THIS OCCURRED WITH A BELLIN HEATING PAD, ACCU-THERM (MEDLINE). USED THE APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONS. THE LOW WATTAGE MICROWAVE WAS USED AND THE PAD WAS HEATED AT INTERVALS AND KNEADED THROUGHLY BETWEEN HEATING. THIS IS A REUSABLE COLD AND HOT COMPRESS. THE PATIENT WAS A GYN AND DID NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL. SHE DID HAVE A HISTORY OF BARIATRIC SURGERY ON (B)(6) 2012. WE HAVE HAD A FEW OTHER INCIDENTS INVOLVING THIS TYPE OF HEATING PAD. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT (B)(6), ON THE MATERNITY UNIT. RN CARING FOR A GYN PATIENT, PATIENT REQUESTED A HOT COMPRESS. RN USED THE ACCU-THERM REUSABLE COLD AND HOT COMPRESS. RN USED THE APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONS. THE LOW WATTAGE MICROWAVE WAS USED AND THE PAD WAS HEATED AT INTERVALS AND KNEADED THOROUGHLY BETWEEN HEATING PER INSTRUCTIONS. THE PATIENT DID NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL. THIS INCIDENT INVOLVING THIS HEATING PACK HAS HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES IN MATERNITY ALMOST LEADING TO LITIGATION. ACCU-THERM IS NOT A SAFE PRODUCT FOR PATIENTS. HEATING IN A LOW WATTAGE MICROWAVE IS CONCERNING, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MAKE LOW WATTAGE MICROWAVE ANYMORE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS LIABILITY TO THE HOSPITAL.