Phenergan?

NurseCherlove · Nov 11, 2004

Well, where I work, it is our policy to give Phenergan 25 mg IVP diluted in 9 mLs of NS. I see it *a lot* where I work, especially ordered with Demerol IV. This is probably because of the potentiating effect of Phenergan on narcotics. I had a guy tonight on a Morphine PCA, asking for his Phenergan right when it was due without a miss. Being a new nurse, I was talking with this other nurse the other night about Phenergan and she said that she saw a nurse get sued for not documenting that it was diluted. She went on to warn me about how another nurse on the previous shift may give something undiluted and burn up the vein, but that it later could show up after you give the Phenergan and you get blamed for it. So always CYA!

needdynurse · Nov 18, 2004

Had migraines for as long as I could remember in the order of about 2 a week-

Because I am medical I felt that they could only dealt c -c drugs WRONG!!!

G.P. recomended Chiropractor :uhoh3: but I went ...after 32 yrs of

excruciating pain-puke-dark-no noise-cry-Finally went to Chiropractor and my

migraines went for 2-3 wk////to 1 Q2months if that--97% cured-Chiropractors

are highly educated Doctors NOT bone crushers;"try it you'll like it" :)

Go now Q1mo.=no more headaches ------HONEST :coollook: I'm a happy

guy :rotfl: Honestly please try it NRSDUG

Cheyenne RN,BSHS · Nov 18, 2004

I went to the ER one night after calling off with that virus we had going around at the time. You know the kind, head in the trashcan while you sit on the 'throne' and the only thing that keeps you alive is knowing you'd have to die to get better!

Well, the nurse manager was furious because I had called off but when I got to the ER my pressure was 62/30. A bit dehydrated to say the least.

They gave me Zofran, which at our hospital is $197.00 a dose. I still threw up. And threw up and threw up. I begged for a phenegan suppository and it worked and I had no more vomiting after it took affect.

Old time medications are sometimes better than all the fancy new meds out there and they are way cheaper. I know that if that 'bug' ever gets me again, I am not wasting time....go straight to the phenegan. LOL

lisawindow · Nov 19, 2004

I work in ER and we IVP phenergan a LOT. There are some patients that it burns and it can ruin a good IV. I always dilute it in NS, but some nurses don't.

tbgirlie04 · Nov 21, 2004

Does anyone know if Phenergan is addictive.? I know its not a narcotic, but we've seen an increase in pts asking for it.

PHENERGAN IS NOT ADDICTIVE. BUT IT DOES INTENSIFY THE EFFECTS OF NARCOTICS AND WHEN USED BY IT'S SELF WILL MAKE YOU DROWSY. I CAN SEE SOMEONE BECOMING MENTALLY ADDICTED BUT NOT PHYSICALLY. PHENERGAN IS AN ANTIHISTAMINE BUT IS USUALLY USED FOR NAUSEA AND VOMITING. ALSO PHENERGAN IS CONSIDERED A VESICANT. IT WILL CAUSE PHLEBITIS IF NOT USED PROPERLY. WHEN GIVING IT IVP DILUTE IT IN AT LEAST 10ML OF NSS. IT WILL PROBABLY STING STING A BIT BUT YOUR IV WILL LAST LONGER AND REDUCE THE CHANCES OF CAUSING PHLEBITIS

WHITNEY LPN

SICU Queen · Nov 21, 2004

We don't have a lot of requests for Phenergan in my SICU. We use Kytril, for the most part (which I HATE, Zofran is better).

When we do give Phenergan, it's with 9cc NS and VERY slow IVP.

z's playa · Nov 21, 2004

Why does everyone ( many) assume a pt has alterior motives if they ask for a drug by name? Its driving me nuts! Because of the internet pts have acsess to more information and maybe...just maybe they want to find different ways to deal with a problem, ways that do not always involve narcs.

bam_bam · Nov 21, 2004

I got curious the other day so I drew up some phenergan and tested it using some of our nitrazine paper. The ph according to that was 5.0 personally I dilute with 9cc of saline when I am pushing it and I know it still burns.

stevierae · Nov 21, 2004

Re: IV Phenergan--do a search on this site. We have discussed this topic ad nauseum. I refuse to give Phenergan through a peripheral IV. Its pH dictates that it is better suited to giving through a central line (PICC or IJ or subclavian.) It goes against INS standards, which apply to ANY nurse who does IV access----NOT just INS certified nurses. Dilution makes absolutely no difference.

Decadron IV is a good, cheap antiemetic. So is Compazine as a suppository and Phenergan as a suppository. I am not certain if they even MAKE p.o. Compazine anymore, but I can remember using it for N&V back in the '70s--it was often prescribed for the N&V secondary to migraine. But, when people are vomiting and can't keep p.o. meds DOWN, good old Compazine and Phenergan suppositories are unsurpassed--and cheap.

allnurses Guide · Nov 21, 2004

I gave IV Phenergan today. I've been a nurse for only 6 years but we give it all the time and I've never had a patient complain about it hurting or had an IV go bad. Weird.

We do have po compazine.

steph

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2004

I gave IV Phenergan today. I've been a nurse for only 6 years but we give it all the time and I've never had a patient complain about it hurting or had an IV go bad. Weird.
We do have po compazine.
steph

That is weird Steph, I give it all the time too, but I would say most, probably 75%, complain of a burning sensation if not downright pain. Some people wince in horrible pain. It's at this point I stop and restart a new IV.

Now that I'm back on a floor that gives it more often, I'm beginning to dislike it. I've seen some phlebitis in people who get repeated doses. Can't prove it's because of the phenergan, but I'm suspicious.

So while I give it because I think it's a calming drug, very good for nausea and as an adjunct to pain control, I proceed with extreme caution.

Stevierae on another thread was very educating as well.

Jrnalist2RNinOR · Nov 21, 2004

When I had IV phenergan given to me it was for my migraine - they gave me a couple other things too (dont recall) and she (the nurse) pushed it in reaall fast and then I felt myself start having a sz (since I have epilepsy - I dont know why they gave it to my if they knew this since it lowers the threshold of sz meds???)