A nurse was asking me if they could use thickener either with the water in the pouch or after drawing it up in the syringe if the crushed medication was to be given orally in a patient on a honey thick diet. They use a thickening powder I believe for these patients. Would they be able to crush, dissolve in the water, draw out, and then add the thickener in a separate container before administering orally? Thanks, -- Christy Havens, PharmD, BCPS Supervisor Inpatient Pharmacy CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy CHI Health Lasting Hope Recovery Center CHI Health University Campus 402.398.5971 (O) christine.havens@commonspirit.org
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Kristy,
Here’s what we learned with the assumption that medications will be crushed first, water added to dissolve the crushed medication, then thickened in another container. This is the preferred protocol for preparing the thickened med mixture.
Adding the thickening powder/agent to mix in the pouch is difficult as the mixture in the pouch becomes more viscous. Thicker liquids can’t be mixed as evenly in the small space of the pouch as the mixture thickens.
We’re assuming crushing medications is necessary first step which is best done by the Rx Crush system using the Rx Crush pill crusher and Rx Crush Pill Pouches.