Why are ampules stil used?

[Sarah Bellum]

Does anyone know? We are working on med administration in nursing school right now, they sure don't seem safe. No one has hurt themselves on one yet but I've rad the stories here and wonder why they are still around.

[czyja, MSN, RN]

and we practically have to beat pharmacy into giving them to us. It's like no one on my unit has ever even HEARD of them.

Wow. In my unit they are right there on the shelf in the med room.

[loriangel14, RN]

Our Morphine and Fragmin comes in ampules and I have never seen filter needles used.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

I take a 2x2 and then set an alcohol pad on top of that and then snap. The lidocaine in our PICC kit has a special piece of plastic wrapped around the area to snap to protect your fingers. Ampules are cheaper to use.

[rnmi2004]

The last of our ampules went away earlier this year when the Fentanyl ampules were replaced with vials. I had always flicked the ampules with my fingernail to tap all the liquid to the bottom, and of course draw it up with a filter needle.

[Iam46yearsold]

they are still there to cut fingers

One ER doc cut his finger on one. I put three sutures in his thumb, so he could go back to work.

[oncnursemsn]

For all you who don't have filter needles, google "glass ampoules, filter needles and glass shards" and you'll come up with a ton of documentation specifying the need for them. I presented the documentation to my higher ups, and now- we have em on the floor. No begging needed.

Oh, yes, of course, switch the needle out after med drawn up. sorry.

(If anyone has more techno skills then I- and that's most of you- could you post the links to the filter needle needed sites? thanks! )

[blessed02]

When i was a new nurse, i sliced my finger after breaking an ampule; and to this day i sweat, get palpitations...thank God for my workmates who help me to open them if i have to. But i know in case of an emergency and i have to open one i will.

[MIA-RN]

Having just sliced my finger a few days ago on an evil ampule of dilauded....I am none too happy that we are using them again.

The pharmacy does not have any ampule openers.

I am not a happy camper.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I use the windmill technique as mentioned earlier in this thread, grab a paper towel to snap the top off, filter needle, switch out.

The one thing I like about amps is I feel I can get every last drop of med out of the vial, unlike wiggling and chasing that drop around the rubber stopper!

Tait

[MIA-RN]

Here is another question along these same lines...

After drawing up the meds with the filter needle, do you have to change out the needle before injecting the meds into a 50cc bag?

I switch out the needle, but nurses that I work with have told me that it's safe not to; the filter mechanism supposedly keeps the glass from being injected out with the meds and into the bag.

[Medic09, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

ahhh... is there anything more satisfying than to crack the top off on an ampule?

ok... maybe cracking the top off of a nice cold lager on a hot summer day...

Excellent!

Nowadays they have a line on them to help them break right. We used to use the teeth on our trauma shears to score them before breaking. Of course, often we didn't have time or presence of mind for that; but that's how it was taught. And we didn't need no stinkin' filters, either...

[rph3664]

I haven't read the entire thread, but I will say that some drugs must be packaged in glass because the drug or the package will deteriorate faster in each other's presence.

Lanoxin and chlorpromazine are the first two that come to mind. I've never seen indigo carmine packaged in anything but an ampule, either.

At one time, ampules weren't scored and often had to be filed before they could be opened.