LANGDON, N.D., AUGUST 2023 - - Langdon Prairie Health (LPH) and the Cavalier County Health District have partnered to release a new sharp disposal box. The free, confidential, and easily accessible sharp box is now available and located outside of LPH.
Now that the sharp box is available, anyone is able to drop off medical supplies with sharp points or edges like syringes, needles, lancets, fingerstick devices, auto injectors, infusion sets, connection needles, and scalpels.
"This new and secure sharp box will help prevent the spread of infectious disease and pathogens, assisting those who need to dispose of either prescriptive or illicit sharps," said Michelle Skillings, Chief Nursing Officer at LPH. "People are able to either walk or drive up and dispose of their sharps in a safe and confidential manner."
Skillings shared that those disposing sharps in the new box first need to put their sharps in a small, hard, and plastic container, such as a small juice container, before then disposing that container in the box.
"While this was originally a Cavalier County Health District initiative," said Stephanie Welsh, RN, Administrator/Director of Nurses at the health district, "it became a larger project and would not have been a reality without LPH’s willingness, infrastructure, and partnership throughout this process. Working together is what made it possible."
Welsh explained that it is critical that people do not leave sharps or any other items outside of the box. The box should only be used for sharps and cannot be used for medications, trash, or any other objects.
If someone in the Langdon area needs to dispose of medications, whether prescriptive or illicit, those can be disposed of at the Take Back Program locations at Langdon Community Drug and the Cavalier County Sheriff’s Office. For prescription medications only, the Cavalier County Health District uses the free Deterra and DisposeRX disposal systems.
Skillings, Welsh and Angela Booker, LPH’s former CNO that began this process, believe that infectious disease is going to be better mitigated with this box, and other harms related to contaminated sharps that are not disposed of properly will be reduced.
Langdon Prairie Health (LPH) is nationally recognized as one of America’s best rural hospitals and is a member of the North Dakota Healthcare Association, American Hospital Association, North Region Health Alliance and Langdon Chamber of Commerce in Langdon, N.D. LPH is a 20-bed facility that provides 24-hour emergency services, comprehensive laboratory services, general inpatient services, intensive and cardiac care units, pediatric care, swing bed services, respite care, and outpatient services. LPH also operates two outpatient, family-practice clinics in Langdon and Walhalla. To learn more, visit https://www.lph.hospital/.
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