Withdrawing Medication from an Ampule

Medical Equipments:

• Medical administration record (MAR)
• Sterile syringe and needle
• Extra needle of proper gauge and length according to the site of injection
• Ampule of prescribed medication
• Sterile gauze or alcohol swab
• Filter needle

Nursing Procedures:

1. Wash your hands
2. Hold the ampule and tap the top chamber quickly and lightly until all fluid flows into the bottom chamber
3. Place a sterile gauze or alcohol swab around the neck of the ampule
4. Firmly grasp the neck of the ampule and quickly snap the top off away from your body, and put the ampule on a flat surface
5. Withdraw the medication from the ampule while maintaining the sterile technique
6. Check the connection of needle to syringe turning barrel to right while the needle guard is held
7. Use a filter needle if recommended
8. Remove needle guard and hold syringes in domain hand
9. With non dominant hand, grasp ampule and turn upside down, or stabilize ampoule on a flat surface
10. Insert the needle into the center of the ampule and do not allow the needle tip or shaft to touch the rim of the ampule SEE PICTURE
11. Keep needle tip below level of meniscus
12. Aspirate the medication by pulling on the plunger
13. If air bubbles are aspirated, remove the needle from the ampule, hold syringes with needle pointing up and tap sides of the syringes. Draw back slightly on plunger, and gently push the plunger upward to eject air. Reinsert the needle in the middle of the ampule and continue withdraw the medication
14. Remove excess air from the syringe and check the dosage of medication in the syringes. Recap
15. Discard any unused portion of the medication, and dispose of the ampule top in a suitable container after comparing with medical administration record
16. Change needle discard used needle properly. Secure needle to syringes by turning the barrel to right while holding the needle guard
17. Wash hands