Bicitra

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Just a question. out of everyone who gives bicitra prior to surgeries. Do you dilute it?

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

Nope. Straight up. nasty tasting!

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Specializes in CRNA.

I routinely dilute my bicitra with atleast 500-1000ml of fruit punch flavored gatorade. The patients all love it. Also, you get to see whether or not your assistant really knows how to maintain cricoid pressure (not that I believe all that much in Sellick's maneuver anways).

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Specializes in L&D.

No, I just tell the patient to knock it back quickly like a shot to tequilla.

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Specializes in 2 years school nurse, 15 in the OR!.

Yup, I say drink it like a shot...LOL

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

Not an OR nurse, but doesn't diluting it in 500 - 1000ml fluid sort of defeat the purpose of being NPO pre-op?

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Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

I was thinking that same exact thing. Why would you give 500ml of PO fluid before surgery?

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Specializes in Dermatology, GI, and PACU.

We only give Bicitra if a patient hasn't been NPO for at least 6 hours. So mainly when we get patients from the ER they have to have Bicitra. We do not give it with anything just straight up like a shot! Adding something does defeat the purpose of being NPO!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I routinely dilute my bicitra with atleast 500-1000ml of fruit punch flavored gatorade. The patients all love it. Also, you get to see whether or not your assistant really knows how to maintain cricoid pressure (not that I believe all that much in Sellick's maneuver anways).

You are kidding right? 500-1000ml right before surgery. That would totally defeat the idea of being NPO, and greatly increase the chance of aspiration pneumonia/Mendelson's syndrome. It is controversial enough just giving a full dose of bicitra because although bicitra helps neutralize acidity it increases the overall recommended volume of 25cc (0.4ml/kg) in the stomach.

In other words it is not recommended to mix bicitra with anything, if you are using it as a prophylactic antacid prior to surgery.

http://www.asahq.org/Newsletters/1999/09_99/mendelson.html

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Thanks everyone, keep the info comming. Our pharmacy is saying that we have to dilute it in 240 cc water or juice.

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Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.

No No NO! Don't dilute it! Talk about making anesthesia's job hell on earth!

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Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

WHY? That is an awful lot of fluid for an NPO status. I would think anesthesia would have a cow. I wonder what the thought process is for that?

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