When treating a patient stung by a bee with the stinger present, how should you remove it?

The correct approach for removing a bee stinger involves scraping it away with a rigid object. This method is preferred because it minimizes the risk of injecting more venom into the patient, which can occur if the stinger is squeezed or pinched. The stinger has a venom sac attached that can continue to discharge venom if pressure is applied, so scraping helps to remove the stinger cleanly and efficiently.

Using a rigid object, like a credit card or the edge of a knife, allows for a quick and effective removal without applying direct pressure on the venom sac. This technique is key to preventing further complications from the bee sting, such as increased pain or swelling from additional venom.

In contrast, using sterile tweezers is not ideal because it may lead to squeezing and injecting more venom. Cutting around the stinger with a knife could potentially cause additional injury or infection. Grabbing it with fingers is also inadvisable, as it poses the same risk of pushing venom into the wound. Each alternate method does not adequately address the concern of minimizing venom release, which is crucial in the immediate treatment of a bee sting.