Ampules still being used, Ouch!

Nurses General Nursing

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I have opened several of these little stinkers and hate it every time. I use a 2x2 and have always broken the top away from me. Well, I opened a defective one last night! The top came off and broke in a strange way. The bottom portion still had a large triangular shaped piece attached and Yep, SLICE! I sliced my thumb pretty bad. A nice slice from the center of my Thumb pad to under the thumb nail. I was bleeding like a stuck pig! It did not hurt but it bled for quite a while. One of the nurses I work with put a steri-strip on it. We then proceeded to wrap it to with-in an inch of its life. I woke up today because my poor finger was throbbing. It is a little swollen today but OUCH! It really hurts.

Why do we still have to use these antiquated little forms of medication. Hasn'ttechnology advanced enough to place these meds in a normal vial with a rubber stopper that can be pushed inside?

Specializes in PICU.

Where I work there are still some meds that we used that come in amps. Low concentration epi drip, fentanyl, and there is one more that I can't remember right now. I use an alcohol pad to break it open.

Specializes in Acute Dialysis.

Last time I cut my thumb it was breaking open a 5 ml IV Lopressor ampule. Middle of the night, new admit from ER with an acute MI, Cardiologist at the bedside wanting Lopressor given about 5 minutes before he ordered it. I break open the ampule with the alcohol wipe away from me and slice open my thumb and get blood into the only dose on the floor. I'm not sure who was more upset. Me in pain and bleeding all over the myself and the paperwork, the doc at the delay in getting the pt the necessary med or the pt watching his doc yell and his nurse bleed. The unit was stocked with the ampule openers after that.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Fentanyl vials are a pet peeve of mine ... and yes, I've also cut myself on them. How fun is that: trying to conceal from the patient the fact that you are *bleeding*, needing to set down the vial but having that internal radar screaming at you about immediately disposing of a sharp, all the while having your finger sting like crazy ...

Lately our fentanyl has been coming with a plastic sort of sleeve over the neck of the vial - nice protection. Realistically, it probably won't last: once this month's "special promotion" ends the Purchasing department will probably be again ordering the cheap ampules with no protection. :rolleyes:

Hi, I was going to say also - everytime fill out an incident report and tell other nurses working there todo the same and maybe something will be done when they realize this could cost them (hospital ) money -they have to address the incident reports and mention this casually when the state comes around - it could help

we use dilaudid that is the big one at my hospital

We have dilaudid in ampules too where I work. I am at a physicians office and I hate opening these. I am always nervous of a cut! We have this in 4 mg and always get an order for 2mg. I always have to waste 2mg so why do they order it this way? Seems like a waste of money to me. I guess it may be cheaper because we are owned by a large hospital and they order it from them, but if you waste 2 mg every time doesn't seem cost effective. I have had the same thought of glass shards too, pulling up to give IM. I always look very carefully but it has crossed my mind that it could get in there if not carefully pulled up.

Olivia CMA

Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
I haven't seen them in years! Sooo what meds are still coming in them?

I think the last thing I used was phenergan?

Fentanyl and metropolol come in amps and I deal with them multiple times a day. My first day as a new grad nurse I sliced my middle finger right open from an amp of Fentanyl.......amp did not break as planned.

My method for opening now is to grab about 6 paper towels, double and triple them up, and then break. The alcohol pad is not enough protection for me; neither is a 2x2 or 4x4!

Specializes in healthcare12 years.
We have dilaudid in ampules too where I work. I am at a physicians office and I hate opening these. I am always nervous of a cut! We have this in 4 mg and always get an order for 2mg. I always have to waste 2mg so why do they order it this way? Seems like a waste of money to me. I guess it may be cheaper because we are owned by a large hospital and they order it from them, but if you waste 2 mg every time doesn't seem cost effective. I have had the same thought of glass shards too, pulling up to give IM. I always look very carefully but it has crossed my mind that it could get in there if not carefully pulled up.

Olivia CMA

we get 2mg and 4mg and then they order 1mg alot and we have to waste it. it is a pain in the rear to waste narcs because u need a witness then you have to find someone to waste it with when we are terribly busy and short staffed

Specializes in healthcare12 years.
I've never cut myself on the 1-ml amps, but the 5-ml ones are vicious!

I've also harpooned myself with an 18-g filter needle, when trying to draw up several vials of Mannitol in a hurry. Still have a good scar from that one.

lol that is the truth u must get alot of icp pt

Specializes in ER (new), Respitory/Med Surg floor.

I never had to really deal with ampules except for occasional vit K. Now in the ED I am continually giving the 3 vials of IV lopressor 5min apart and I can't stand ampules!!!! I've only nicked myself once and ALLWAYS had a difficult time breaking them open. I was taught use alcohol pad to do it but it was so sliperaly. Finally I just use 2x2 or even a 4x4 acutally and instead of grabbing and pushing it away from my face I place the ampule where it should break on the center of my thumb and they break much easier for me and evenly than ever before. Don't know if that helps. Others said deffective ones so maybe soon I will slice my thumb, ow! And I play flute so I can't STAND when I injure my hands even really dried hands!

Specializes in ER.

I use a alcohol prep still in the wrapper. The wrapper is alot stronger than a 2x2 and acts as a shield between you and the glass. We use quite a bit of Nubain in our ER and it still scares me to death everytime I have to open an ampule. I hate them !!!

We have a ton of meds still in ampules - morphine 10mg, demerol 24, 50 and 75, phenergen, metoprolol, phenergan, dig, nipride, etc. The list goes on and on.

It never fails, I cut myself every darn time! Hate those darn things!

Specializes in Informatics.

Our Vit K for babies is in ampules. Ugh. Hate them. I've already gotten myself once, and I've only been a nurse for 3 months. I always use an alcohol pad in the wrapper, too.

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