Using Ampules w/o filter needles

Nurses General Nursing

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I work for a company that does not supply filter needles to be used with the epi ampule in the emergency kit.

Is this ok?

In nursing school I was told to never use ampules unless I had a filter needle. What do you think?

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Does your hospital follow evidenced based medicine? If so, do the research. I am sure there is a reason why filter needles were made and it wouldn't be based on, "so the company that makes them can make money."

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
EXACTLY! What the hell is a filter-needle? Evidently not REALLY needed, right? (gotta use your "critical thinking" skills on this one)

WOW! What really short-sightedness of your nursing program. Did anyone pass under those incredible draconian standards?

Quitting your job over filter-needles??? Allrighty-then. Go with what makes you sleep well @ night.

Please...oh please give us statistics about all the safety problems caused due to the lack of filter needles. Inquiring minds want to know.

All you students out there... the latest and greatest huh?

Amazing how many decades ampules have been used without those CRITICAL filter needles being used.

There must be people dying all over the world because of micro-glass filaments suspended in BILLIONS of IV medicine administrations using ampules.

Certainly go with what you feel is comfortable to you. After all. It's your license and the safety of patient are on the line. NOT! You stand a much larger chance of personal injury from breaking them open incorrectly.

Don't be intimidated by glass ampules. Not many medications are being packages that way anymore anyway. Take your time, handle them correctly, and ensure there's a clean break from the neck of the ampule. That's it. If it should happen that the tip or ampule shatter. Reject the dose and draw up another one.

Wow.... just wow! Quitting a job over such a thing? Good luck with that.

I don't understand. Why so much anger?

1 Votes
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Oh, and BTW, when Dilauded 1 mg ran out in my hospital--we had to use the ampule types of Dilauded.

In the recovery room.

After surgery.

Used them a LOT.

so..........=)

Yes, we used filter needles.

Specializes in Oncology.

My hospital uses filter needles. The point of filter needles is because when you open an ampule bottle, the pieces of fragments enters into the ampule bottle. Using the filter needles decreases the chance of you administering the glass particles to the patient. That is what we were taught in school also. I don't know if i would take that chance or not but if they are not willing to change I would def. keep note of that just in case.

exactly! what the hell is a filter-needle? evidently not really needed, right? (gotta use your "critical thinking" skills on this one)

wow! what really short-sightedness of your nursing program. did anyone pass under those incredible draconian standards?

quitting your job over filter-needles??? allrighty-then. go with what makes you sleep well @ night.

please...oh please give us statistics about all the safety problems caused due to the lack of filter needles. inquiring minds want to know.

all you students out there... the latest and greatest huh?

amazing how many decades ampules have been used without those critical filter needles being used.

there must be people dying all over the world because of micro-glass filaments suspended in billions of iv medicine administrations using ampules.

certainly go with what you feel is comfortable to you. after all. it's your license and the safety of patient are on the line. not! you stand a much larger chance of personal injury from breaking them open incorrectly.

don't be intimidated by glass ampules. not many medications are being packages that way anymore anyway. take your time, handle them correctly, and ensure there's a clean break from the neck of the ampule. that's it. if it should happen that the tip or ampule shatter. reject the dose and draw up another one.

wow.... just wow! quitting a job over such a thing? good luck with that.

you know.... there is no reason to be so cynical. allnurses is supposed to be a place to ask questions to other nurses without being criticized. i graduated from one of the best nursing schools in the nation. it was not, by no means, a draconian school. give me a break. they taught us through evidence based practice.

i don't think that snowy31 is quitting because of a filter needle. she was just merely saying that upper management doesn't listen...

apparently you have been out of school too long to remember what it was like to be a new grad. 15 years out and already eating the young. i hope i never get like that.

thank you to everyone else who has given respectful responses.

Specializes in Emergency Medicine.
I don't understand. Why so much anger?
:chuckle

Yea, you're right. My bad. Last of 5 12's. I'm a little edgy I guess. It's Miller Time.

Just someone quitting their job over filter needles!!! megaroftl.gifHysterical

If you have 'em use 'em... if you don't... well, MOST people don't

As they say Wag more, Bark less. I'm now wagging...

Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

To the OP,

There are a great many things that we learned in nursing school that are not done the same way in the "real" world; taking a BP for one thing if I did it the way I was Taught in school I would spend my entire shift taking VS ! I have worked in Home Health, Nursing homes and hospice and have only been in a couple of places that had filter needles. I also asked about them when I was new and was confronted with that same 'what?' look. All we can do in the "real" world is the best you can do. I guess f it's important to you -- there are 3 options a) request your facility get them, b) do without, or c) provide your own if you can find a supplier (I supply some of my own equipment but not those)

Specializes in jack of all trades.

Working in dialysis as the DON I questioned our administration regarding this vary issue as we used Ferrelicit/Venofer which is in ampules Davita had filtered needles but KRU medical doesnt use them. I had a huge issue with this but they shrugged thier shoulders and that was the end of it. Filtered needles wasnt even on thier inventory listing!! When I attempted to get it changed corporate also wouldnt change it as it was quote "more costly". (I'm no longer with this company thank god)

Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

You know, that is the way i also learned how to draw up correctly from an ampule. I wouldnt do it w/out because it is my license. If i had a med that needed to be given and i didnt have or wasnt allowed to use one, i would ask a co-worker if they would give the med. I would not be comfortable either. That is my job, that is Critical thinking and it is MY license. like someone else says, it only take ONE time!

-H-RN

Specializes in Critical Care.

I've never seen a place without filter needles (experience limited to Texas).

Like others i was taught to use filter needles however in my experince there weren't laways available from ward to ward as a student

Where i work now we stock them and i will use them and know why but if i was to float to anther ward and they din't have them but my patient needed that med i do the best i could draw up with a green needle

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
I've drawn up injectable medications from ampules without having ever used a filter needle. I was taught to do so without the use of a filter needle. In fact, I had never even heard of a filter needle until I stumbled upon this thread. I suppose that each new day brings a unique learning experience!

Oh good. I'm not the only one that had never heard of a filter needle. I asked some girls at work and got blank looks.

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