Safe handling of hazardous medicines at home. Giving capsule solutions.
This video will show you how to dissolve and give a portion of a hazardous medicine capsule safely.
Always follow the 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. Yyour 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 the entire capsule, you will dissolve the contents carefully in liquid or food.
This is covered in a separate video. 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.
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 and give a portion of a capsule, you will also need a large, clear plastic bag to
contain the work area. A dissolve and dose device to mix and hold the solution. An oral syringe to
give the dose. Tweezers, to pick up the medicine. A medicine cup. 10 milliliters of room temperature
water. And a labeled container to place any unused mixed 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. Pour 10 ml of room temperature water into a small medicine cup.
An oral syringe has three parts: plunger, cap, and barrel. Remove the cap from the oral syringe and
push the plunger all the way in. Open the medicine bottle and remove the capsule using the tweezers.
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. Put the capsule,
oral syringe, medicine cup with water, and the dissolve and dose device inside the clear plastic bag.
Unscrew the lid of the dissolve and dose device. 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 dissolve and dose device. If needed, pinch the capsule halves to loosen the medicine.
Make sure both capsule halves are empty. Pour the 10 milliliters of room temperature water from the
medicine cup into the dissolve and dose device. Only mix the medicine with room temperature water.
Screw the cap back onto the device making sure the top is secure. Then gently rock the device back and
forth. Leave it to sit for several minutes to allow the capsule contents to dissolve fully.
Do not leave the medicine and equipment unattended while you wait. Once the solution is ready, use it
right away. Pop the cap off the dissolve and dose device and place the oral syringe into the cap
nozzle. Carefully lift the dissolve and dose until it is upright over the oral syringe. This will
help release any air bubbles. Draw and measure the appropriate dose using the oral syringe.
Your healthcare provider will tell you how much solution to give your child.
Give the medicine to your child right away. Never prepare and store the dose ahead of time.
Place the syringe into your child's mouth and slowly push the plunger to release the medicine.
Your child may drink more water after taking their medicine. Your child's healthcare provider
will tell you if your child may take any other drinks or food right afterwards.
Speak to your child's healthcare provider if your child is having trouble taking the medicine.
If there is solution left over in the dissolve and dose, do not keep it.
Instead, pour it into the medicine bottle and store it there until you can dispose of it safely.
Make sure you label the bottle hazardous for disposal. When the bottle is full, you can take it
to your local pharmacy to dispose of it properly. 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