Safe handling of hazardous medicines at home. Mixing capsules with liquid or food.
This video will show you how to dissolve and give a portion of a hazardous medicine capsule safely.
Always follow these safe handling methods to provide the best protection for
you and your family during your child's treatment. Sometimes people who care for patients must handle
hazardous medicines. Hazardous medicines can treat a variety of medical conditions.
For instance, chemotherapy treats cancer and immunosuppressants prevent organ rejection
after a transplant. Ask your healthcare provider if your child's medicine requires safe handling.
Hazardous medicines can damage healthy cells so they must be handled safely.
The risk of harm from handling hazardous medicines is small, but it's still a good
idea to avoid direct contact with them. This includes not tasting your child's medicine,
and if possible, avoid contact with hazardous medicines if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
You will need to gather certain supplies and take careful steps when setting up your work area.
Your child's healthcare provider will help you make a list of the supplies you will need.
You can buy these materials at a grocery or drugstore. To handle your child's hazardous medicine at home,
choose an uncluttered counter or table away from windows, fans, vents
areas where you prepare food and where children and pets play. If your child is taking only a
portion of the capsule, you will need to mix it with water first and give only a specific
amount to your child. This is covered in a separate video. If your child is taking the entire capsule,
you will mix the contents carefully in liquid or food. Ask your child's healthcare provider
which method is appropriate for your child. Depending on how you prepare your child's
medicine, your supplies may include: paper towels or a disposable absorbent plastic-backed mat
to contain any spills, a disposable gown to protect you and your clothing, a disposable mask,
gloves to minimize direct contact with the medicine. To mix the entire capsule, you will
also need a large clear plastic bag to contain the work area or oral syringe to give the dose,
tweezers to pick up the medicine, a medicine cup, some room temperature food or a room temperature
drink to mix with the medicine. Your child's health care provider will tell you which foods
or liquids can be mixed with your child's medicine. And lastly, your child's medicine.
Always prepare the medicine right before your child will take it. Before you begin, wash your
hands with soap and water. Put on your gloves and place paper towels or a disposable absorbent
plastic-backed mat over the counter surface. You are now ready to handle your child's medicine.
Put on your gown and mask. Put the food or liquid into a small medicine cup. Keep extra food or liquid on
hand if you need to add more. If you are preparing the dose with room temperature water, pour the
water into the medicine cup. Open the medicine bottle and remove the required number of capsules,
using the tweezers if you prefer. Put the lid back on the bottle as soon as possible.
To minimize the amount of medicine that gets into the air, you will prepare the dose
inside the plastic bag. With your hands inside the bag, tap the capsule to loosen its contents.
Hold the capsule upright and remove the top half. Empty the contents of the capsule into the medicine cup
with room temperature food or liquid. If needed, pinch the capsule ends to loosen the medicine.
Make sure both capsule ends are empty. Repeat this procedure if your child needs to take
more than one capsule at a time. Use a spoon to mix the contents of the capsule with the food,
or use the oral syringe to mix the liquid in the cup. The medicine may not dissolve completely.
Scoop up the food mixture with the spoon and allow your child to eat the mixed amount. If you have prepared
the medicine in liquid, your child can take the dose directly from the medicine cup or drop the
liquid from the cup using the oral syringe. Place the syringe into your child's mouth and slowly
push the plunger to release the medicine. If any medicine is left in the syringe, draw more water,
gently rock the syringe back and forth, and give the medicine to your child.
Speak to your healthcare provider if your child is having trouble taking the medicine. When you
are done, place the empty capsule pieces in a plastic bag or bottle clearly marked for disposal.
Hazardous medicines should be handled safely. It's important to carefully handle the cleanup
of the supplies and work area and to dispose of wastes properly. All disposable items that have
been in contact with the hazardous medicines, such as the used paper towels and gloves, must go into a
designated plastic waste bag or container. Dispose of this plastic bag at a hazardous waste depot.
You may wash and reuse some of your supplies, but take care not to rinse them in the kitchen
sink over other dishes or utensils. If you are reusing an item, such as the medicine cup,
rinse with warm soapy water and let it air dry. Clean the sink after washing your supplies.
Always store hazardous medicines away from children and pets. If stored at room temperature,
place them in a locked box away from moisture and direct sunlight and in a cool dry place.
If the medicine needs refrigeration, place it in a separate container at the back of the fridge.
Return the medicine to the locked box or fridge after each use. Do not keep any medicine in your
purse, knapsack, or diaper bag. Some of the medicine may be present in your child's
vomit, urine. and stool. It is important to handle these safely as well. When changing your child's
diaper, wear disposable gloves and place diapers in a separate, sealed plastic bag before disposal.
If your child is toilet trained, have your child close the lid and flush twice after using the
toilet. And then have them wash their hands. If your child's clothing or sheets are soiled with
vomit, urine, or stool, wash them separately from other laundry. If you can't wash them right away,
place them in a sealed, plastic bag and set them aside. Once you are all finished wash your hands.
Remember these key tips for safe handling of hazardous medicines at home.
If possible, avoid contact with hazardous medicines if you are
pregnant or breastfeeding. Wash your hands before and after handling hazardous medicines.
Wear gloves when handling hazardous medicine tablets, capsules, or liquids.
Properly clean, dispose, or store the equipment and hazardous medicine.
For more information on these tips, speak to your healthcare provider.