Pill packets suck

Nurses Medications

Published

I'm getting fed up with pill packets. The serrated separating lines are not as well made as before, some brands make it impossible to tear away one pill for a patient without scissors.

Then, once you get it away you either have to peel away the wrapper or pop it out the back. Peeling off the wrapper is often challenging. Sometimes the glue is too strong or the little corner you're supposed to grab is microscopic.

Sometimes you think you're supposed to pop it out the back but that wrecks the pill. There was really a microscopic corner you were supposed to somehow peel back.

Argh! :arghh:

Specializes in ambulant care.

- The wrapper/blister is often harder than the pill.

The result is a ..... (removed) powder.

A "NoGo", if the pills are coated or capsules.

Also a matter of costs:

I would like to register the trash and send the bill

to the producer !!!

- Nails vs. gloves:

Without gloves - no way.

Without nails - no chance to get the pills out.

~~~ Diametrically ~~~

Does anyone knows: "nailresistent gloves" ?

- My favorites - to hate - are inhalationcapsules

and anestethics.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
- The wrapper/blister is often harder than the pill.

The result is a ..... (removed) powder.

A "NoGo", if the pills are coated or capsules.

Also a matter of costs:

I would like to register the trash and send the bill

to the producer !!!

- Nails vs. gloves:

Without gloves - no way.

Without nails - no chance to get the pills out.

~~~ Diametrically ~~~

Does anyone knows: "nailresistent gloves" ?

- My favorites - to hate - are inhalationcapsules

and anestethics.

E-X-A-C-T-L-Y !!!

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Jumpin'Jehosaphats! :eek:What an awful bunch of junk . . .

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Specializes in Med Surg, Parish Nurse, Hospice.

When I was doing patient care, I usually had splits in my thumb nails and on my thumbs from all the pill packing. It was the worst in the winter.

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Jumpin'Jehosaphats! :eek:What an awful bunch of junk . . .

that was the first of many, try a search of your own if you want to be nasty about it

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Specializes in ambulant care.

Yeah !

I know these openers, and many more of them.

The best way to damage the pills.

Do you have one for every size or kind of pills?

And also "tablets cleavers":

The very best way to hurt yourself:

They are weaker than the pills, break in you hands and cut through the glove.

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I love this thread. I can not stand pill packets. Prednisone is driving me nuts lately....it's impossible not to crush it into pieces. And yes those foil packets for pradaxa...what a wate of time and foil.

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Specializes in ambulant care.

"Effervescent tablet" (Mg, Ca, ACC ...)

How to carry it to your patient? - In ambulant nursing -

The fizzies are hydrophilic and too large to put them into a dispenser.

So you have to carry the tubes with you.

Leaving any meds in the car - NoGo.

My med-bag is too small for all these tubes.

A shotgunshellbelt could be a solution --- ;)

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