crushing medications for pegs/ngts and for mixing in food for patients...
I'm 2 months into being a new nurse. at my facility almost every patient has a peg tube. I've been doing the "proper" way, crushing each med separately, and having mini cups and not mixing any together and flushing in between.
I see nurses just crush and mix all of them. my patient load is getting higher and I really can't do it the "proper" way anymore.
so before I start crushing and mixing everything together in a cup... what medications should I make sure NOT to mix with each other? or does it really matter? I've heard the pharmacy at my place should tell you about medication interactions, but I'm paranoid and don't want to rely 100% on them.
There is an order in my facility for crushing/mixing meds via G-tube that states "Medications may be crushed and mixed together unless contraindicated." I dont know the rationale behind doing them all seperately but if the state came into the facility for survey you would have to crush each med individually, mix it in its own cup of water. Check placement, flush 30 cc H20 followed by the first med and then flush 10 cc between each med. After all meds are administered in the tube you would again flush 30 cc.
Perhaps I wrote it wrong. Without that order that states "Medication may be crushed and mixed together unless contraindicated" then they must all be poured/flushed seperately. I have 12 G tubes on my unit and only 2 have the order for may be mixed together therefore if the state came in I would have to do the other 10 as previously described. Sorry for the confusion, just trying to say that in my facility you MUST HAVE an order to mix otherwise you are expected to do them individually. Obviously 12 G tubes with about 10 meds each would take me FOREVER to do individually.
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
why would you do that if you have an order?