QUESTION:
I am currently attending a private school as an MLA/T student. In class recently the topic of liquid bandages was brought up and my teacher was unable to give an answer as to the regulations regarding use of these products. I know these products are available for use in hospital, but I am unsure as to whether or not they are acceptable for use in a lab environment to cover scratches etc before gloving (in place of a regular bandaid). My question to you is, can regular bandaids be replaced by the use of liquid bandaids in a lab environment? Would the regulation for this product fall under the jurisdiction of each particular lab, or is there a general consensus as to whether they can be used?

ANSWERS:
Don't know the regulations but we have liquid skin on the bone marrow try.  We do use it on ourselves sometime.  Don't know if it is a higher quality to liquid bandaids or not.  If a person is gloving after, my personal opinion is that it should be okay but for a policy type answer I am not sure. I would think they would be better than regular bandaids as they are a total seal.  I would not put it on a patient though.  Wendy, Ottawa

There was an article in the Globe and Mail this week, written by a plastic surgeon, it reviewed different ways scars are formed and how to reduce them. Liquid bandage was mentioned. It is probably still on the paper's web site, and might be relevant.  Jim, London
 

ANSWERS:

I think this question should be answered by OLA/QMP-LS.   Sue, MLT, Sudbury

To my knowledge no school teaches this procedure formally. I myself have never even heard of it before so I have no idea how it is done. Lorraine, MLA/T, Aurora

At the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in Thunder Bay, the MLA/T's collect the sweat by iontophoreses for sweat chloride analysis and the MLT's do the actual analysis.   Irene, MLT, Thunder Bay