What kind of pill crushers are you using?

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 11, 2006

My CI taught us to put the pill into a small paper pill cup, place another small paper pill cup on top of the pill and then crush the pill with the blunt end of a marker. Lift up the top cup a bit, tap the top with the marker to get anything stuck to drop, then fold the 1st cup and add to whatever medium/solution you're using. Took longer to type this than it does to crush a pill.

I don't get why you would be breathing in any powder. With the "real" pill crushers we have, you place the pill into a small plastic sheath before crushing it.

GLORIAmunchkin72 · Dec 11, 2006

Crushing an occasional pill wouldn't be a problem but I have to do "volume" crushing because I work healthcare LTC. We have a heavy metal pounder and even then I have to keep pounding and rotating in order to get that fine powder result. Any uncrushed granules are immediately spit out by some residents. However I am willing to try your suggestion.

BlueEyedRN · Dec 11, 2006

I had a patient tell me the nurse crushed his pill with the back of the room's flashlight, added water, then stirred it up with her pen. Okay not helpful, it just made me laugh.

churdlpn · Dec 11, 2006

we use a silent knight. it takes plastic pouches you put the pills in. not too loud or messy. if you google silent knight pill crusher you can see it.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2006

My current workplace uses the 'Silent Knight' pill crushers, where you place the pills inside a small plastic bag, place the bag between the two slots, and pull the lever. It doesn't generate any noise or produce airborne powder.

xptp29a · Dec 11, 2006

When my mom was in a neuro ICU for a SAH, she told everyone that she saw the nurse pop pills in his mouth, chew them up and then spit them in a cup for her to take. I reminded her that he would have been fired for this and that it was the pain medicine giving her hallucinations. Even now she still thinks he did it.

indigo girl · Dec 11, 2006

Ours is loud and at times messy and I am not crazy about breathing the powder dust that it creates. I am short and practically at eye level with my cart. Tried masks for a while but it got too hot and uncomfortable. I also tried to use a pair of plyers(long time ago) but end up tearing up the little souffle cups. There has got to be something better. I wouldn't even mind buying it out of my own pocket and taking it home at the end of the night so it does not disappear.

You are correct about that fine powder. Even using two paper cups with the pills in between, sometimes there is powder everywhere. I have asthma, and I am not happy about this.

I work in a different facility every nite, (LTC), lots of pills to crush if I am working a floor. I like the silent knight pill crushers although they do not always work well with smaller pills like ativan.

kwagner_51 · Dec 11, 2006

I bought [At Walmart] my own pill crusher. like you I work LTC and had 5 g-tubes with LOTS of pills each.

I have found that the big vitamins, calcium and other big pills that it is best to crush them by themselves because the lid doesn't fit right otherwise. For me it is faster and a LOT less noisy. Also there is very little dust and they are very fine.

_____________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

P_RN, ADN, RN · Dec 12, 2006

I thought I'd seen this recently,

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/oboy-did-i-date-myself-today-142425.html

myelsa · Dec 12, 2006

Can't beat the Silent Knight!

EmerNurse, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2006

I have a little round blue gadget I got from Walgreen's - it has a cutter on it, and a screw pill crusher - you put the pill(s) in and twist until the pills crush. Sometimes have to twist and untwist a little and shake and twist down again, but in all, it was very fast and crushed very fine. There were very few pills that didn't crush well. Used it all the time and made sure it went into my locker after shift cause these things walk off. I did a lot of meds through PEGs and NG tubes and it did a fine job.

I still have it and it turned out to be very durable. In the ER I do'nt have to crush meds much but I do occassional have to halve one, and the cutter works great.