A nurse is preparing to administer a medication that is available in a glass ampule.
Which of the following actions should the nurse plan to take?
A.
The nurse should use a filter needle to withdraw the medication.
B.
The nurse should break the neck of the ampule toward their body.
C.
The nurse should use the same needle to draw up and inject the client.
D.
The nurse should dispose of the ampule in the trash can.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: A. The nurse should use a filter needle to withdraw the medication.
Explanation:
When preparing to administer medication from a glass ampule, specific precautions must be followed to ensure both patient safety and the efficacy of the medication. Let’s explore the rationale behind the correct and incorrect options:
A. The nurse should use a filter needle to withdraw the medication.
This is the correct action. A glass ampule must be broken open to access the medication inside, and this process can introduce tiny glass particles into the solution. To prevent these particles from being administered to the patient, the nurse should use a filter needle to withdraw the medication. A filter needle has a special filter within it that traps any glass particles, ensuring that only the medication is drawn into the syringe. After drawing up the medication, the nurse should replace the filter needle with a new needle before administering the injection to the patient to ensure sterility and sharpness.
B. The nurse should break the neck of the ampule toward their body.
This is incorrect. When breaking the neck of an ampule, the nurse should break it away from their body, not toward it. Breaking it away minimizes the risk of injury from sharp glass shards and prevents any medication from splattering onto the nurse. Additionally, using an ampule breaker or covering the ampule neck with a small gauze pad or an alcohol swab can help protect the nurse’s fingers.
C. The nurse should use the same needle to draw up and inject the client.
This is incorrect. The needle used to draw up medication from an ampule, especially if it is a filter needle, should not be used for injection. The reason for this is twofold: first, filter needles are not designed for injection; second, the needle tip may become dulled or contaminated during the drawing process, which could cause discomfort or increase the risk of infection when injecting the medication. Therefore, the nurse should change to a new, sterile needle after drawing up the medication.
D. The nurse should dispose of the ampule in the trash can.
This is incorrect. Glass ampules should be disposed of in a designated sharps container, not a regular trash can. Disposing of them in the trash poses a risk of injury to anyone handling the trash. A sharps container is specifically designed to safely contain sharp objects and minimize the risk of injury or exposure to hazardous materials.
In summary, using a filter needle to withdraw medication from a glass ampule is essential to prevent glass particle contamination. Breaking the ampule away from the body and disposing of it properly in a sharps container are important safety measures, and changing the needle before injection ensures patient safety.