Ampules still being used, Ouch!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have opened several of these little stinkers and hate it every time. I use a 2x2 and have always broken the top away from me. Well, I opened a defective one last night! The top came off and broke in a strange way. The bottom portion still had a large triangular shaped piece attached and Yep, SLICE! I sliced my thumb pretty bad. A nice slice from the center of my Thumb pad to under the thumb nail. I was bleeding like a stuck pig! It did not hurt but it bled for quite a while. One of the nurses I work with put a steri-strip on it. We then proceeded to wrap it to with-in an inch of its life. I woke up today because my poor finger was throbbing. It is a little swollen today but OUCH! It really hurts.

Why do we still have to use these antiquated little forms of medication. Hasn'ttechnology advanced enough to place these meds in a normal vial with a rubber stopper that can be pushed inside?

The main med we still have in ampules is Demerol. Haven't gotten cut by one yet but I'm sure it will happen eventually, I HATE those things!!! Don't know why they can't package things in vials- IS there some reason does anyone know?

Demerol came in vials 50 years ago! Someone needs to talk to a few different pharmaceutical reps.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At my hospital we have these nice little rubber deals that fit over the amuple top where you break it off and the glass stays in them.

I think that they work great even better than an alcohol pad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We've got phenergan, demerol, and epi in the amps. They are the biggest pain in the butt!!! Never gotten sliced but it's always on my mind...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED.
We still have them phenergan comes to mind....after spending some time searching for a needle w/filter......I was told we don't use those :uhoh21: ......The filter is on the iv.

I don't know about your unit, but ours does't always use filters for every IV. YIKES! Only for the central's, PICC's and ports.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Stroke Seizure/LTC/SNF/LTAC.
The two on my unit are phenergan and digoxin, but I know there was another one that is on the tip of my tongue that was a big sucker (can't remember it for the life of me). I cut my thumb on a phenergan amp a few weeks ago also.

I've recently used Demadex 10 cc (Yep, HUGE) that comes in ampules. I flicked the top to get liq down, and the top popped off and flew!:nono: Thing is, the filter needle isn't quite long enough to reach to the bottom of that monstrosity...Yikes!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

we still use amps heaps, for all our S8 drugs, heparin, haloperidol, tramadol, clingamycin... and i've never had a problem at all with them.

i've noticed that people who are wary of them get cut much more. if you just grab and snap, they tend to work out fine.

even with ones that don't snap cleanly, you can still handle them safely without cutting yourself - it's not like you're aiming to touch the broken edge or anything

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I always use a filter straw/needle to draw up from an amp.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.
I don't know about your unit, but ours does't always use filters for every IV. YIKES! Only for the central's, PICC's and ports.

My thoughts exactly...what if there is no filter on the iv!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I don't know about your unit, but ours does't always use filters for every IV. YIKES! Only for the central's, PICC's and ports.

I remember one night not being able to find a filter needle for love nor money. My charge nurse said oh well, don't worry about it. Years ago we didn't have filter needles and everything came in amps. :uhoh21:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Marie, do you use ampule openers in the OR? Can they be sterilized? I know how you love eyes, LOL, but our Miochol recently changed from coming in a push to mix vial like solu-medrol to an ampule of dilutant and vial of med that needs to be mixed on the field just before giving. What a PITA for the scrub!

Otherwise, I open all my amps inside an alcohol swab wrapper since I don't trust the gauze.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Really the only ampules dealt with in our OR are for the epidural trays and and a few of the meds that the MDAs use. Everything else is in a vial, so scrubs never have to use them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in healthcare12 years.

we use dilaudid that is the big one at my hospital

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment