OBOY!....did I date myself today!!!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have been in emergency nursing for many years. I cannot remember the last time I had to crush a pill for a patient; if the pt couldn't swallow pills I've always been able to find the liquid form or injectable. I had a kid who needed a Pyridium and can't swallow pills, so I went to medsurg looking for a mortar and pestle. Couldn't find one in the med room, so I went to the desk. A new grad who's been out for less than a year told me there was one in the med room, and I told her I couldn't find it. She led me back there and pulled out this heavy metal silver contraption that I had seen and didn't recognize.....a pill crusher! When I was in school we didn't have a pill crusher, had to use a mortar and pestle!

I wish I'd had a camera for the look on her face........:roll

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I am a May graduate and during one of my clinical rotations in school they were still using a mortar and pestle.

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We have these great new pill crushers.....I love them. They are so much better than the heavy metal silver thing.

These use heavy plastic crusher envelopes....put the pills in the envelope, and place it between two surfaces and bring the handle down, and it crushes the pills.

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

My folks asked me what I wanted for a NS Grad present.

I asked for a small mortar and pestle, and a GOOD pill splitter. I HATE :angryfire the flimsy pill crushers and the plastic cutters with non-removable blades!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Nameless coworkers would take the pill, put it in a ziplok bag and beat it with the telephone receiver. Worked. Not endorsig mind you.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Nameless coworkers would take the pill, put it in a ziplok bag and beat it with the telephone receiver. Worked. Not endorsig mind you.

Put it between two medicine cups (the paper ones) and beat it with whatever is handy.

Works.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, acute hospital care, rehab.

YES! They call them the Silent Knight! lol

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I've seen a marble mortar and pestle when I've glanced in the medicine room a few times...

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Have only used the mortar & pestle to crush pills.

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LOL......I live with my pill crusher, but I do LTC. We have a mortar and pestle in our med room for pack up.

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"Nameless coworkers would take the pill, put it in a ziplok bag and beat it with the telephone receiver. Worked. Not endorsig mind you."

:lol2:

Okay, glad to see I'm not such a dinosaur! Thanks, guys!

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We have the container part of the mortar and pestle set in our med room (which is which?) which we take and whack the heck out of the pills with with the bottom of it on the countertop...works well too!

Missy:chuckle

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