Filter Needles & Vitamin-K IM injections

Specialties NICU

Published

Just curious, when preparing to give the first dose of vitamin K to a newborn as an IM injection, do you use a filter needle to draw up vitamin K from the glass ampule and then remove the filter needle from the syringe and replace it with the proper size needle before injecting the medication?

Just a "yes" or "no" answer would be appreciated.

I always do use a filter needle but some of my co-workers do not; I was just wondering about other NICU nurses and how they approach this situation.

Thanks in advance for answering!

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

We filter & then switch needles.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Nursery, Post-Partum.

One more "yes"! Always use a filter needle when drawing from a glass ampule, why take a risk?

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We dont..dont even have them on the unit....

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Specializes in nicu, transition.

yes!! Not only is it safer, but it is very easy to draw from the ampule using the filter needle. Thanks, for bringing this up. Being new, I had 2 preceptors and one used them and one did not. :uhoh21:

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Transplant, Trauma, Surgical.

YES. Always use a filter needle, especially with a glass ampule!

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Specializes in NICU.

Yes, always with a glass ampule!

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Specializes in NICU, Vascular, Oncology, Telemetry.

No. Yikes? :idea: I'm still in my orientation and the use of a filter needle has not been mentioned once. Do I dare ask being a newbie and all? I have a feeling I'll get the "We've never used them and have never had a problem" answer, but if I'm feeling brave enough I just might have to bring it up!

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Specializes in Level II & III NICU, Mother-Baby Unit.
No. Yikes? :idea: I'm still in my orientation and the use of a filter needle has not been mentioned once. Do I dare ask being a newbie and all? I have a feeling I'll get the "We've never used them and have never had a problem" answer, but if I'm feeling brave enough I just might have to bring it up!

If you feel brave enough I think you should bring it up. One of the best things I love about having new nurses on our unit (whether they are fresh out of school or seasoned nurses) is that they bring "new eyes" to our unit which allows them to "see" things we have become accustomed to no longer seeing anymore. Sort of how your home looks fine to you until you have a real eastate agent or home inspector come in and point out things you didn't even realize need to be changed or updated. When the occasion occurs that you need to draw up a mediation from a glass ampule, you could simply ask, "Are there any filter needles in our unit?" and if they answer yes you can say, in a very unthreatening way, "I think I'll run get one right quick; I really like to use them when I can." Viola! They may look at you funny but in the end if you are the person administering the medication they should not care one way or the other whether you use the filter needle or not. They probably would be a bit offended if you "told" them they should be using filter needles. Good luck to you. Oh, by the way, a nursing instructor once told me that when I am in the position to make a decision to simply stop and ask myself, "What is in the best interest of the patient?" and there I will find my answer. Good advice I've used over the years. No one can ever fault you for doing what is best for your patient... that is nurse advocacy at it's finest!!!

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Specializes in NICU, Vascular, Oncology, Telemetry.

Well, the perfect opportunity came up for me to ask this morning, as I was about to give my Vit. K & Hep B. I am fortunate that my preceptor is VERY open to my questions. She told me they used to use filter needles, but haven't for a very long time now. We don't even have them on the unit she didn't think (and if anyone would know, it's her). She also explained how the TB syringes we use are so fine that it hasn't been a problem (getting glass from the ampule into the syringe and possibly injecting the baby).

So what size needle does everyone else use?

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.
Well, the perfect opportunity came up for me to ask this morning, as I was about to give my Vit. K & Hep B. I am fortunate that my preceptor is VERY open to my questions. She told me they used to use filter needles, but haven't for a very long time now. We don't even have them on the unit she didn't think (and if anyone would know, it's her). She also explained how the TB syringes we use are so fine that it hasn't been a problem (getting glass from the ampule into the syringe and possibly injecting the baby).

So what size needle does everyone else use?

We used TB syringes, too (in my old unit, neonatal, that did not use filters), now I am doing L and D at a different hospital, and we filter and switch for glass ampules. But from the research I have done, it doesn't seem to matter, the research indicates that glass could be drawn up in a 30g even. I'll try to find the articles I read and post them here, if you want.

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Specializes in NICU.

yes, we always use filter needles when drawing meds from a glass ampule/vial then replace the needle.

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