giving charcoal

[canoehead]

We all know what a joy it is to break out the charcoal. Whether it goes in the tube or down the gullet there is going to be a mess. Whenever I try to mix it there are huge lumps of coal in my tube, and no amount of shaking or squishing will dissolve those lumps. It's like Chunky Soup, serve it with a spoon AND a fork. Does anyone have a quick and easy solution to lumpless charcoal?

[tridil2000, MSN, RN]

just curious....

would you all say 75% or more throw charcoal back up??

THATs THE WORSE!

another thing i hate is when a pt comes in aggitated and requires some sedation. then once they calm down, the docs want them to get the charcoal! some fall asleep and i am ALWAYS worried about them aspirating! how do your ers handle this situation?

[erjulie]

just curious....

would you all say 75% or more throw charcoal back up??

THATs THE WORSE!

another thing i hate is when a pt comes in aggitated and requires some sedation. then once they calm down, the docs want them to get the charcoal! some fall asleep and i am ALWAYS worried about them aspirating! how do your ers handle this situation?

NG tube- then run it slow (like to gravity) helps to have the NG tube placed when their "sort-of" sedated, but good timing is rare...

Really you can warm it in the microwave? I ALWAYS have trouble, but then again I have trouble even cutting off the end of the tube. We use those Evac-U-Kwik kits with the tube the size of a garden hose- I hate those...I'm such a klutz I never get the right things hooked up, you'd think I was the village idiot setting it up. I usually give up and have the techs help- they think it's hilarious!

[V. Nightingale]

Leave the container of charcoal (pre-mix) in a basin of hot water for a few minutes -- the amount of time it takes to perform a gastric lavage is just about right. Softens the stuff right up.

[Pedi-ER-RN, RN]

Alot of them vomit it(regardless of administration technique), so sometimes it seems useless!! We usually don't give it to pts with decreased LOC at risk for aspiration with them being intubated.