Vial Openers?

No it's not.It has a divot in the working end that fits the vial top, then you use it like a wrench to pry off the top of the vial. Thank goodness my hospital hasn't banned these- I use it everyday. I got it from a sales rep when we were using ON-Q pain management a lot.

Definitely not a wire cutter! But I see the resemblance. Like Sop said, it is made by OnQ and is specifically for lifting off the metal vial tops. Super easy and quick to use. Too bad they aren't allowed here anymore. Although , I wonder if some people still use it around here since there was one hidden :)

If you are pouring / transferring a powder there is no other good way to do it. We have cap removers we got from some sales rep at the AORN convention. I'll look for a picture.

I didnt go to website but we have these things that look like pliers. Much easier, safer and cleaner IMO.

Yes but AORN standards state you need to use a sterile transfer device in the OR. These aren't acceptable in a sterile environment.

They are used to remove the metal ring. The rubber stopper is then pulled straight out. Then the powder is dumped out. It doesn't do any good to have a standard that doesn't take into account that I have never heard of or have seen anything to transfer powder. How do you all do it?

Those things are exactly what ive been looking for, but they cost like 200$ its absurd

SandraCVRN,

In the recent cases I have been in where we had a powder in a vial (e.g. Bacitracin), they have all been reconstituted by us in the OR. Once reconstituted, we then transfer it to the sterile field using a sterile transfer device. What types of powdered substances are you using?

Don

Thanks Rose_Queen... I'm far too new to know much, so that helps me understand other ways powdered items could be used in the OR... The P&P for our system actually states not to pop the stopper so I'll have to investigate how they might approach a similar situation like you discuss. Thank again.

Don

We have 3 pods in our OR and I am a pod 3 that does urology/gyn/robotic, but I witnessed a colleague of mine having to do this task in ortho. I agree with you.. there needs to be a much better way! Its not very fast or efficient when the surgeons are waiting impatiently for you to deliver the med to the field.

You should not be "popping" tops off vials of medication, there is no way to transfer the meds to the table and maintain it's sterility. That being said, we have Alaris transfer devices as well as vial jets in our OR to use for this purpose.