IV Phenergan

shannonRN, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2002

preciousnurse, when i asked my fiance what zofran cost he replied, "a lot." when i asked how much phenergan cost he replied, "pennies." sorry, i don't have specifics, but i think that says it all...

deespoohbear · Nov 10, 2002

I had IV Phenergan the other day for intractable N/V. I didn't have any "bad side effects" from it. Did make me feel a little loopy and I sure wouldn't have tried to get OOB by myself but otherwise went well. Not sure what dose I received, but the ER nurse put it in the distal port and I didn't feel a thing....

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Nov 10, 2002

I think a dose of Zofran is over $200 and Phenergan is $1-2.

susanmary · Nov 10, 2002

Routinely give 4 mg Zofran diluted in 50 cc normal saline for nausea/vomiting post-operatively. Have had orders to give up to 8 mg Zofran at one time, but have found that if 4 doesn't work - then 8 doesn't work. In my experience, anyway. Rarely, have given phenergan -- have given both the IV/IM routes with no noted side effects. Agree that when I'm in the hospital, I want Zofran FIRST.

deespoohbear · Nov 28, 2002

Originally posted by canoehead
I think a dose of Zofran is over $200 and Phenergan is $1-2.

If I am heaving, I am willing to pay about anything to stop it. I hate to throw up and will do about anything to stop it!!

sara2 · Dec 18, 2002

I have a lot of respect for phenergan iv. In my early days of med surg nursing I gave a 99 year old hip surgery patient 25 mg Iv. It should have been given IM according to the order. Almost instantly she went into CHF. Had it not been for an agressive charge nurse who called the patient's medical doctor and demanded a huge dose of Lasix, she would have probably been a goner that night. I was only a year into nursing at that time and almost got out of it because of that but the charge nurse encouraged me to stick with it. That was more than 10 years ago and then you never saw an order for less than 25 mg phenergan iv. Now, almost all our orders are for 6.25 or 12.5 mg. When I have an order for 25 mg iv, I now titrate it. By the way, I kept track of that patient and she lived to a ripe old age of 105.

kae rn · Dec 19, 2002

I have worked years as a peds nurse on med/surg, ortho, and outpt. floors. I would hesitate to give phenergan IV on a child. A teenager, maybe. I prefer the pr route, even though parents and kids cringe. Just less side effects. I think Zofran works well if given intra-op.

deespoohbear · Dec 29, 2002

I hear that Phenergan supp burns like fire. Anyone with any experience with that? If I have both ends going, I doubt if I want to do a pr with a medication that stings!!

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · Dec 29, 2002

Just dilute it and give it slowly. Use 6.25-12.5 with the elderly. Hate inapsine, it doesn't work. We use vistaril IM a lot too. Use Zofran for hyperemesis.

AHarri66, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2003

We've had a few cases of respiratory depression and unresponsiveness with Phergan over the past year, so we have a new policy for administration. We dilute the dose in 50cc of D5 or NS and hang it over 15 minutes. No adverse effects from that yet. I have seen Zofran used more frequently now, too, and I have to admit, I'm much more comfortable giving that.

AHarri66, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2003

ShandyLynnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2003

I had to use phenergan PR once, and didn't notice the burning. Ofcourse, I was knocked out cold as a side effect....maybe I didn't notice????