Reconstituting Nexium - dumb question

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

Every time I go to reconstitute Nexium (I guess it could apply to any med but Nexium is what I reconstitute most often), I have a hard time getting the saline to go in (it feels like there is a lot of pressure/resistance from the vial) and I end up spurting saline everywhere... I'm using a saline flush & a blunt tip to reconstitute it. Do I need to be using a needle instead of a blunt? I always try to use something needleless if I have the option...

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

If you aren't using a sharp needle to pierce the seal of the vial, it won't work well-- those are meant for particular ports. Use a real needle-- you don't have to worry much about a stick even if you get one, because it's sterile and the worst you can do is waste the med. Try first aspirating as much air as you can, then letting the diluent flow into the vial in response to the vacuum, but if you're following directions and only injecting 5cc into a 20cc or 40cc vial, you shouldn't have a problem if you use a real needle.

This is the manufacturer's instruction:

3-minute intravenous injection (20 mg or 40 mg) following reconstitution2

To reconstitute: Draw up 5 mL of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, into a syringe and inject solution into a 20-mg or 40-mg vial of NEXIUM I.V. Mix thoroughly. Use within 12 hours of reconstitution.

To administer: Withdraw the reconstituted solution (5 mL) into a syringe and inject through an I.V. port over no less than 3 minutes.

10- to 30-minute intravenous infusion (20 mg or 40 mg) following reconstitution2

To reconstitute: Draw up 5 mL of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, Lactated Ringer Injection, USP, or 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, from a 50-mL bag into a syringe and inject into the vial of NEXIUM I.V. Mix thoroughly.

To administer: Withdraw the reconstituted solution (5 mL) into a syringe and inject back into the 50-mL bag. Administer as an I.V. infusion over 10 to 30 minutes. Stability times: NSS/12 hours, LR/12 hours, and D5W/6 hours.

http://www.nexiumtouchpoints.com/nexium-information/dosing.html

[sugarmagnoliaRN]

Thank you GrnTea! I thought about posing this question directly to you because you are always sharing your wonderful wisdom on this board!