Are individually-wrapped plastic speculums sterile?

[Lily Dalke]

When I was working last Friday night, there were no sterile metal speculums in triage. I asked the nurses to help me find some and they spoke to someone in supply who said that the hospital no longer carries metal speculums period - they are not available anywhere in the hospital.

Has anyone else noticed this? Do you know if the individually-packaged plastic speculums are sterile?

[Nicole Schneider]

I have a hard time believing this to be true.  plastic ones are not sterile.  We cannot safely do our job without sterile speculums.  Anyone working L/D tomorrow to investigate this? I have noticed that there are less medium graves available then there used to be.  HOpefully with a new nurse manager this will be solved.

[wilenjennifer]

There were definitely metal speculums in triage yesterday. That must've been a mistake, but I'll double check again when I'm on tonight. 

[Lily Dalke]

I'm here today and there are wrapped metal speculums in triage. Go figure. As long as we have them I don't care what was going on on Fri night!