G-tube medication question

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Specializes in SNF.

When giving G-tube meds, I am just wondering if all students are required to give one at a time with 10cc of water between meds? Would you give a liquid med (consistency of water) with a crushed med, or would you seperate them as well? Nurses on the floor are laughing because they think this is just rediculous!!:stone

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Specializes in Skilled nursing@ LTC.

Proper administration of meds is one at a time. Mixing any meds together causes chemical changes in the medication- as I was told in nursing school. That being said- some nurses do mix them together for speed and ease of administration.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
When giving G-tube meds, I am just wondering if all students are required to give one at a time with 10cc of water between meds? Would you give a liquid med (consistency of water) with a crushed med, or would you seperate them as well? Nurses on the floor are laughing because they think this is just rediculous!!:stone

Yes, some may see it as rediculous, but you have to consider a few things. The size of the tube (NG tubes, for example tend to clot easier and are thinner). If it is a GT button, they are usually very thin. I remember opening a capsule filled with little balls and it getting clogged in a tube because they didn't pass through (and no, you're not supposed to open capsules because it defeats it's purpose- but when everyone has been doing it and the pt doesnt take pills, well, I guess you get the point...)

In peds, the tubes are much smaller, so you really have to be careful. But at the same time you wouldn't want to flush with 10cc between each med (on a small child, as they end up vomiting all the meds you give them). If it is adult, who needs fluid restriction, then that may be too much in between meds.

As far as mixing them together, not a great idea. If, God forbid the tube gets clotted while you are giving your 'cocktail' of 5 meds, you'll have a big problem figureing out exactly what the pt. got and what he didn't get.

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Specializes in LTC, med-surg, critial care.

I learned how to administer meds to GT patients on a subacute floor. Everyone on my med pass was a GT and my instructor always had me crush the meds together, mix with water (or prune juice), pour it into the ginormous syringe, let gravity take it's course and flush with water. Her reasoning being "You may take them seprately by mouth but when they break down in your stomach there will be nothing stopping them from mixing."

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Well, you learn something new every day.........

When I worked in LTC, there was absolutely NO time for giving G/tube meds one......at......a.......time.......we always had at least three or four tube feeders with LOADS of medications, and if we'd taken that much time we'd never have completed our med passes! So what I always did was flush the tube, crush all the pills that could be crushed and give them together with a little water, flush, then give the liquid medications (vitamins, Tylenol etc.) together and flush once more. Otherwise, you tend to end up with this yucky precipitate that looks absolutely disgusting and stinks to high heaven, plus you can easily clog the tube.

I never had a problem with this method, and I was able to get it done and over with quickly. :)

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Specializes in SNF.
I learned how to administer meds to GT patients on a subacute floor. Everyone on my med pass was a GT and my instructor always had me crush the meds together, mix with water (or prune juice), pour it into the ginormous syringe, let gravity take it's course and flush with water. Her reasoning being "You may take them seprately by mouth but when they break down in your stomach there will be nothing stopping them from mixing."

Can I ask where in California you are in school, in the event I fail this rotation and can't go on?!?!?!?! Are you still a student? What do you think would happen if you failed one clinical rotation where you are/went to school?

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My clinical teachers and the nurses that I've been paired up with have all had me crush them all together...

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My clinical teachers and the nurses that I've been paired up with have all had me crush them all together...

YOUR FACILITY SHOULD HAVE A P/P ON GIVING MEDS/FLUSH THRU G-TUBE WE CAN MIX MEDS BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSABILITY TO KNOW WHICH ONES ARE COMPATABLE THEN FLUSH WITH 5-10CC OF H2O FOLLOWING

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

In nursing school world, you are supposed to crush the seperately, because some meds don't mix well. I would crush mine, then mix with water, then pour that in, then flush with water. Don't forget that all of those flushes and sorts go into your I/O's! Also don't forget to clean out whatever you were crushing the pills in- you don't want to cross-contaminate another clients meds. All that being said, that's nursing school nursing. I am assuming that in "real" world nursing, they mix them all together and give all together. However, we're taught to do things a certain way in nursing school because there is a scientific reason to do so. -Andrea

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
in nursing school world, you are supposed to crush the seperately, because some meds don't mix well. i would crush mine, then mix with water, then pour that in, then flush with water. don't forget that all of those flushes and sorts go into your i/o's! also don't forget to clean out whatever you were crushing the pills in- you don't want to cross-contaminate another clients meds. all that being said, that's nursing school nursing. i am assuming that in "real" world nursing, they mix them all together and give all together. however, we're taught to do things a certain way in nursing school because there is a scientific reason to do so. -andrea

are you saying nursing school is not the real world?!?!?!? :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

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Specializes in LTC, med-surg, critial care.
Can I ask where in California you are in school, in the event I fail this rotation and can't go on?!?!?!?! Are you still a student? What do you think would happen if you failed one clinical rotation where you are/went to school?

I'm in the central valley about an hour north of Bakersfield.

Yes I'm still a student, I graduate May 25th. My last clinical day is this Wednesday, then we go into "Mock Boards" for four weeks instead of clinic. We take our respiratory final on Friday and go into our nero module until the end of school (we take one module at a time).

If I falied one clinical rotation the department head would kill me (I've known her since I was a kid) and I would have to repeate the semester if there was room for me in the class.

Also don't forget to clean out whatever you were crushing the pills in- you don't want to cross-contaminate another clients meds. -Andrea

I'm confused. What are you crushing meds with? When I did subacute we crushed meds in a little baggie that slid into the pill crusher (God that's a horrible description), made sure it was fine as we could get it, then poured it in a cup. The baggie got thrown away after each use.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

The problem you can face by crushing and flushing some medications is that they are not licenced to be crushed and flushed down tubes, so the drug companies will take no reponsibility for side effects ect.

You are supposed to do each medication seperately and flush with 10mls of water after each medication.

Coke ( especially coke-a cola) is great for de-bunging tubes has anybody tried that lol dunno if it is lisenced for flushing tubes or not :rotfl:

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