Need help on aseptic drug manufacture

[sage123]

Hello everyone,

I am a student and part of the course requires me to do a eye drop dilution in an aspetic suite, only problem is that i am sikh and do not wish to remove my Kara (only a thin religous braclet on my wrist) as it is a symbol of my unbreakable bond with the Gurus.

I have already been penalised for this and have received a 5% penalty and received an addition long essay to write. The universtiy (who name i do not wish to mention) says it is following nhs guidlines, i have beeen up for a good few hours trying to find such guidlines but can not!

The aseptic suite consists of two hepa filtered flow hooded cabinates.

The thing that i do not understand is that the university say you are able to wear a single banded ring on your finger. Does that not pose a threat to the sterility?

One thing i am not sure on regarding aspectic cabinates is where you place your hands inside a glove into the sealed cabinated, would i have be able to wear my Kara with one of those machines?

As a result of this dispute I may not be able to continue onto the next year. I am in desperate need of help, What should i do?

If people think i am being silly please say and those who think otherwise and can give me help please do.

Many thanks in advance.

[johnep]

Current anti-infective procedures say 'nothing below the elbow' to enable thorough hand and forearm sterilisation. Could you not wear your bangle above the elbow? I have met many asian pharmacists wearing wrist bands. If you feel so strongly, why not buy a pack of 100 latex gloves and wear these. The cuff would cover the bangle. However, there has been considerable controversy regarding religious symbols. Some christians banned from wearing crosses.
johnep

[sage123]

Current anti-infective procedures say 'nothing below the elbow' to enable thorough hand and forearm sterilisation. Could you not wear your bangle above the elbow? I have met many asian pharmacists wearing wrist bands. If you feel so strongly, why not buy a pack of 100 latex gloves and wear these. The cuff would cover the bangle. However, there has been considerable controversy regarding religious symbols. Some christians banned from wearing crosses.
johnep

thank you for the reply. The overcoat and gloves provided cover everything, and i mean everything,two sets of gloves are worn.

My Kara doesnt go over my elbow, doesnt even reach it.

[DavidS]

Some questions to satisfy my curiosity:

Would the Kara be very damaged by a brief immersion in acid-alcohol? Or would exposing the Kara to damage itself need to be avoided?

If it was damaged, could a further Kara be used as a replacement, in the same way that the turban must wear out, eventually, I suppose?

Or, if the original Kara is an item of sentimental as well as religious significance, an heirloom, say, would it be possible to replace it with another Kara for the times when it might be in contact with corrosive liquids?

Although sage might want to take a risk with the eye-drop sterility in college, in terms of a possible loss of assessment marks, if a way round this cannot be found in actual practice with patients he can rest assured that in over 35 years of community pharmacy practice I have never had to scrub up for asepsis. Thank goodness.
He might want to avoid hospital pharmacy or industry, though?

[sage123]

Some questions to satisfy my curiosity:

Would the Kara be very damaged by a brief immersion in acid-alcohol? Or would exposing the Kara to damage itself need to be avoided?

If it was damaged, could a further Kara be used as a replacement, in the same way that the turban must wear out, eventually, I suppose?

Or, if the original Kara is an item of sentimental as well as religious significance, an heirloom, say, would it be possible to replace it with another Kara for the times when it might be in contact with corrosive liquids?

Although sage might want to take a risk with the eye-drop sterility in college, in terms of a possible loss of assessment marks, if a way round this cannot be found in actual practice with patients he can rest assured that in over 35 years of community pharmacy practice I have never had to scrub up for asepsis. Thank goodness.
He might want to avoid hospital pharmacy or industry, though?

The Kara itself does not wear out as such it is made of a metal and is extemely durable. With regards to acid-alcohol, to be honest i am not sure.

If the regulations require it to be no form of 'jewlery' i would completely understand and take it off because as a professional it could cause harm to others; however what i completely disagree with is the fact that a 'single band ring' is acceptable. This is what the university states as NHS regulations, i find this very hard to believe and am assuming when i ask for the regulations on monday the uni will provide me with them so i can see for myself.

I would really like to find out what the set regulations are so that i know where i stand, and know that it is not the lecturer on some power trip because i make them aware of some of their own mistakes. (rarely happens but they really dont like it when i do.)

[Pharmanaut]

If the regulations require it to be no form of 'jewlery' i would completely understand and take it off because as a professional it could cause harm to others;

Would making medicines (or training to make them) to cure sickness and suffering be a higher ideal that would permit you to remove the Kara?

[sage123]

Would making medicines (or training to make them) to cure sickness and suffering be a higher ideal that would permit you to remove the Kara?

If the wearing of the Kara would infact compromise the integretiy of the streile suite then yes, however this is a university assisngment and does not pose any threat to anybody in any shape, form or fashion.

The 1976 race relations act, say that it is a breach of law to tell me to remove it.

So considering the above, i dont not believe my taking off my Kara to be justified.

Also the protective suit we are wearing means that there are 3 barriers between my Kara and the enviroment. If it is so strict, surely my actual clothing posses an exponetially larger threat in introducing micro-organisms into the suite then my Kara.

[DavidS]

This is what the university states as NHS regulations,

So what if they were? (I agree with you, I doubt they are, but so what). Your degree does not only cover you to work in the NHS, so why should you be required to work to NHS regulations in university (unless it is specified as part of the course that the course is run in line with NHS regulations, of course, which I would find astonishing in itself). I do know that NHS regulations have quite a bit to say about sensitive ways to treat religious minorities, so it might be an idea to look them up, if it can be done easily.

Iron plus hydrochloric acid gives ferrous chloride plus hydrogen. Slowly, but there we are.

Diplomacy would suggest that you proceed gently, especially until you know where you stand.

Clothing isn't such a high risk to you, tbh, because if the laminar flow is working properly any fibres will be blown away, possibly into your neighbour's cabinet, not your own!

[Nik]

Iron plus hydrochloric acid gives ferrous chloride plus hydrogen. Slowly, but there we are.

I think silver karas are more common than steel, so won't react with HCL. Of course it depends on what the kara in question is made of. Personally I cannot see the problem if the kara is well covered up before entering a grade B or working in a grade A environment.

[sage123]

Thank you very much for the infomation you have provided, and it is helping me alot.

My Kara is pure silver.