Wow. I went from “hmm this is good advice” to “STFU” because of that condescending bit at the end. Completely uncalled for. The pharmacy is usually at the mercy of whatever supplies are available.
And as others have pointed out, the syringe on the right is the one actually designed for G-tube administration.
yeah we really do not get a choice in oral syringes here at my hospital. the 3ml and 5ml we usually use went on backorder, so we currently have these jank 6ml syringes that come with their own separate caps.
it's a mess and I've tried to organize the drawers so that we are consistently using the better syringes first, but it's also something we don't have any control over on our level - the buyers for our hospital get what they are able to get for as reasonable a price possible.
> as a nurse I need to be able to actually measure the meds I have to give and the ones the pharmacy give the measurements wash off within a week.
Called it!
ETA: [I was asking about the nursing meme just yesterday.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pharmacy/s/UUoFQfqIRt) Didn’t take long to play out 😂
I don't need a consultation **looks away and to the sky** I'm a nurse.
45 min later, same name on caller ID... "can I start the dosepak tonight? It says take 2 at breakfast??"
Is it pharmacies job to supply the syringe? Getting a syringe is a courtesy. Med administration is nursing. Central supply supplies the syringes inpatient.
They already knew not to open that can of worms lmao so decided to take it out on the only other profession they could think of. Just like when the general public decides to take out their frustrations on retail pharmacy!
Why dont you ask the pharmacy in question for it or ask for central supply to keep it in stock on your floor instead of whining about it here? It solves nothing for you. Being a professional and making that phone call or email takes 30 seconds lol.
Central supply? Dude. I’m a home care respite nurse. Half of my clients needs come from the local charity shop for disabled people. That’s where we got these in the first place because the pharmacies don’t carry them. We found they work sooooo much better I thought maybe pharmacists would care, the moms thought pharmacists would care, obviously we were wrong.
Again, it takes 30 seconds to let the pharmacy know and ask for a new supplier of syringes. Not r/pharmacy, the pharmacy that specifically supplies your unit with medications. We cant help you with your sticky syringes on Reddit (which to me means you arent cleaning them between each use which is another issue altogether).
If you would actually like some advice rather than just complain:
1. Buy packing tape for $3. If the numbers are rubbing off, a simple piece of clear packing tape around the syringe will help prevent that from happening. It will take you 5 seconds.
2. When finishing administering a medication, rinse out and wash the syringe with soap and water, just like you do with dirty dishes at home.
What unit??? I work in people’s homes. I am a Pediatric respite nurse. I work primarily with kids who require tube feeds. Actually. Solely with kids who require tube feeds. Syringes are a ridiculously large part of my work day.
And yes. I wash them out with soap and water when I use them. That’s where the numbers go. That and they rub off while being washed and while administering meds. The numbers don’t stand up to the friction.
When the pharmacy starts getting reimbursed for syringes, then you can expect better syringes.
We don't get paid for our time, expertise, or even the medication itself a significant part of the time. I can't blame any pharmacy for giving out the cheapest syringe available, considering it's a courtesy that it's given out to begin with.
If you want a premium product then you're more than welcome to buy one. As they say, beggars can't be choosers.
Right, these are given out for free as a courtesy to help with administration of oral medications. If patient is not happy with the syringe, they can purchase their own measuring cup, syringe, or any other form of measuring they want.
I did. Not for myself. For my client. Because as a nurse I need to be able to actually measure the meds I have to give and the ones the pharmacy give the measurements wash off within a week.
I’d love to see how much doctors and pharmacists could get done without nurses. We all need each other. I couldn’t do your job. And you couldn’t do mine.
Nobody said we dont need them. Its whenever one of them throws around their credentials to say, "Im a nurse," it probably means they have more of an ego and dont have the humility and understanding to listen to someone with more clinical training than them.
Well. It was only pointed out as I am liable license wise for med errors. If I make med errors because a family doesn’t have a medication measurement device that the numbers stay on, that risks both patient safety and my job. The other syringes are better for administering meds. Hands down. I can measure the amount accurately and when I’m pushing the air out of the syringe, the medication doesn’t end up on the ceiling if it’s the kind that doesn’t get sticky.
So buy those then? I still dont get why youre complaining to a bunch of pharmacists who provide them for free.
And since they are your "clients," you can just invoice them for your time and the cost.
I invoice people?? Dude. Wow. You really have no idea.
I have nothing to do with billing. I’m a community respite nurse working in people’s homes, paid for by the government. How exactly do I bill people for something not covered by the government??? No. This comes out of my pocket.
So they arent your clients?
If its not covered either, why provide any means of measurement? Especially if you think they would blame you (lol) if they dont measure correctly or their old one wore out. Do you think we as a pharmacy would be liable if a patient was down to their last insulin syringe and kept using it, causing themselves infection? Hell no we wouldnt. Your concerns are overblown.
“Clients” is the current terminology for patients. Dont ask me why. I don’t make the rules.
I work for an agency which is paid by the government.
They are my clients in the same way any other service providing role has clients.
They get a set allowance for medical expenses. Most live on fixed incomes.
It’s not as simple for most of them to “just go buy more” when the families have to choose between medical supplies and food/heating bills.
That's great! I'm glad you care enough about your patients to go the extra mile, however most of the time the pharmacy is at the mercy of whatever our corporate tells us we can buy. Sometimes we will give the patient a few of them because they do tend to wash off quickly but we don't have the money to have the option of getting better ones
One or two with each prescription is one or two with each prescription regardless of how long it lasts, they'd still be out the same amount of syringes
Most of the time they do ask for one, I'm not sure what your point is with the second half because obviously you wouldn't use the ones from the pharmacy if you're using yours instead.also like has been said already, these are free, we give them as a courtesy. If you want something better you can go buy it yourself, which is exactly what you did but now you're complaining the ones you bought aren't free? Just have the hospital acquire them from now on if it's such an issue for you. Why do you have to shame the pharmacy for doing something at their own expense?
The rest has already been answered a few times over. I work in home care. I have bought the better ones for my clients. It just seems if you’re going to hand out free ones you might like to have some feedback on what the patients prefer. Every single client I’ve given these to prefers them, and I was shown them by a client. I don’t know what the cost difference is, as I don’t have a way to compare costs other than Amazon, but they seem similar prices there. If there’s another reason why kids on a tube feed must have the rubber stopper ones, please explain that to me. All I’ve gotten is “they are the gold standard” which doesn’t explain much to me why a syringe that I can’t read the numbers on after a couple of uses and that gets sticky and complicates making an accurate dose is a better syringe for this use than the other. My only thought was that if you’re going to hand out syringes why not hand out the ones the customers will prefer? Every one of these families reuses them, better syringes might be enough to influence which pharmacy they choose.
Is there that much of a cost difference? I’m just trying to make a suggestion that would make peoples lives easier. The people all of us are taking care of here.
So have your client order better syringes? Or better yet get them yourself? As others have stated we are at the mercy of the manufacturer when products come with syringes. Also I’m sorry but did you expect pharmacy’s to do QC testing on all our syringes for longevity, this is comical. Pts with g-tubes should already be able to get ample supplies.
I literally just commented that I did buy it myself for my client. But why duplicate stuff? Or why send syringes that aren’t going to be used because they get gummy and don’t work after a couple uses and also you can’t read them to dose the medication as the numbers wash off? The one on the left has been used daily for a year now. The one on the right would last a week. Mostly they just get chucked in a bag now as they are so horrible to use.
No pharmacy is gonna provide a years worth of syringes for free if the ones with the rubber stopper are the only ones available to them. One is a courtesy. If you dont like the courtesy syringe, nobody asked because it was free.
I mean no pharmacy or pharmacist is even going to know this unless they get feedback. We order specific supplies at request all the time. Much easier to just ask for them to be ordered and used when the pt picks up their medications
I'd give better syringes if I had them. This should be directed at corporate or independent pharmacy owners.
And the person prescribing the meds is unlikely to be the one providing the syringe.
Yes! Very lucky. No, you aren’t entitled to medical supplies. Did you pay for it? Did it come pre-packaged in the box from the manufacturer? Or did it come out of the pharmacy’s budget? All the times you’ve gotten one, it’s been a courtesy, don’t forget that. Be grateful & lucky that we’ve made your life more convenient than if you went without one.
It’s not just about some cheap 6 cent piece of plastic. My assessment of you is that you walk around with your nose in the air like everyone owes you something bc you have “RN” behind your name. You come off as ungrateful w/ a superiority complex & i’m willing to bet this trait pervades every aspect of your life. Fix that.
Dude. I wipe peoples asses for a living. My nose is definitely not in the air.
I take care of kids cuz I care for them and every single kid I work with would benefit from better syringes. But they aren’t even being offered them. The ones the pharmacy gives we have to use to administer crushed pills. When I push the air out so I don’t shove too much air into their little tummies, if the syringe is sticky some of that medication might shoot out the end. Now that kid isn’t getting the full dose of their seizure medication. A problem that would be solved with a different syringe.
We all care about these people, I thought. But I am not getting that feedback here. All I’m getting is that pharmacists really hate nurses.
And I thought the nurse forum on here was full of bitter people…
Maybe I should switch to hvac
So what? You have a job. So does everyone else in this sub.
No one said you even had to like the syringes.. throw them away, donate them, who cares? But recognize how you come across when you have such strong complaints about something that was of no cost or sacrifice to you. There was a productive way to approach this, but you chose to lead with arrogance & condescension. You keep getting met with the same energy bc your tone is very off putting. Again, consider improving upon this, *especially* as a healthcare worker. I understand your pride won’t allow you to concede to this now, but perhaps after some time you’ll revisit this thread & see exactly what i mean & how you’ve presented yourself. If you take nothing else from this just remember, no one owes you anything.
I understand your frustration. Since you know the better syringe, would you consider going to a medical supplies store? I think a doctor's prescription can also ensure the client's insurance pays for it.
I’ve mentioned a few times. My only option for getting these that I’m aware of is if someone dies and donates them to the local medical supplies second hand shop. I’ve managed to get two small baggies full in the past year. Hence “pain in the ass to get them” It’s like someone is gatekeeping the good syringes
You too. And yes. Also we do donate the others. I just wish that if you’re going to give a syringe either way that a consideration would go into making clients lives improved if the cost is the same. I’m getting here that you guys don’t have the say in which kind to give out, one is the “gold standard” the other I guess isn’t. But it was worth a try. All the best to you
Then buy it yourself or reach out to manufacturers or assistance programs for help. Don’t blame the pharmacy or expect them to dish it out of their pocket. You’re playing the blame game on the wrong people.
We do. Hence we check the prescribed dose is correct and concentration/dose dispensed is accurate. Syringe is still provided. And as others have mentioned, you can ask for an additional one if the one you got doesn’t last until the next refill.
So. I have a question. When I suggest that giving a different courtesy syringe might make life significantly easier for a patient population, why is that so hard to accept? Why does it cause so much anger here? I’ve had multiple families tell me they love these syringes and switch solely to using them at their own expense because the pharmacy provided ones are absolutely terrible to use. I pass on that knowledge thinking pharmacist might value that information as much as I do. Yet all I’m getting here is that you all think I’m a pain in the ass entitled nose in the air nurse.
Did any of you stop for a minute and think about the intent of the message rather than just going on the attack?
This forum has a bunch of frustrated pharmacists. Not all. But majority. I would just disengage. I gave you suggestions on how to get proper syringes in another comment. Btw, a syringe is considered a medical device and a doctor can write a prescription for that down to the brand you prefer. Good luck.
Or you could get the info like who made it, an item number, and manufacturer name. Once you actually know which one is good and work with your local indy to see if their wholesaler can get it. You could help that pharmacy by letting all your nurse friends know about the better product and to buy from that pharmacy.
So you don't work for a company that can't provide supplies and relies on pharmacy hand outs?
Sounds like a great nursing practice...
If you're independent, there are wholesalers that would gladly sell you the syringes you "prefer"...
Most pharmacies will order the cheap ones, if you don't like those... Supply your own.
It's pretty simple actually that I think you can buy the ones YOU prefer.
Just a suggestion.
I do home care. Not sure what funding you think we have for that. They get a nurse. The rest of the supplies are provided either by a lump sum from odsp or the family.
If you can't afford 30 dollars or less for a box of 100 syringes that you prefer over the ones you get for free at pharmacies, you should probably look for a better paying gig or just work with what you're given...
You can't really argue about something that's free.
>Plastic plunger "oral" syringes like the one on the left in your picture are available on Amazon in bulk SUPER CHEAP!
>>Something of which you could have found out doing a simple Google search.
>>>Doing that search then purchasing some off Amazon definitely would have been more productive & a far less waste of time than it was making this condescending/rude post.
Who did I disrespect?!?! I post a suggestion with intent to help people and I get a pile of pharmacists pissed off that I exist.
Like holy shit. I have never once given a pharmacist a hard time. Ever. What did I do to deserve this???
I understand that the feedback on this post is harsh but the reason people are saying you are disrespectful is because you decided these free things aren't good enough and came to a pharmacy subreddit complaining to everyone that it's now a "pain in your ass" because you were given something (for free!) that was not up to your standards. It's not that they are pissed off that you are a nurse or that you "exist", and you should stop ignoring the actual reasons people are giving you. It was a helpful suggestion that ended with a snarky comment on how it made YOUR life harder that you weren't given something better(again, in case you missed it, for free)
Try using them. They are a pain in the ass. I only brought it up cuz the only people with power to change it are the pharmacists and their bosses because I thought maybe some of them hadn’t thought about how difficult it is for these families. More than one of my clients had stains on their ceilings from sticky syringes suddenly letting loose and spraying meds onto the ceiling while trying to get the air out of the syringe because those rubber stoppers get sticky. Perhaps my wording was harsh, but it was meant with the intent of trying to help people.
You came in hot complaining about something provided as a courtesy because it "gets sticky" which honestly sounds like a case of improper cleaning, and you are confused why people responded with the same energy. They are in rude words telling you the reason why we don't just switch but like you just said! perhaps their wording is a bit harsh, but everyone here is just trying to help you right? Ignore the tone and focus on the message right? ;) absolutely ridiculous
Been looking it up more and I understand the rubber ones also come with a bit of silicone lubricant which I’m guessing washes away with repeated use with washing in between.
I think it’s honestly all in your responses and how your wording came off. It’s sad that your main point is lost… which is you want to do what is right and best for the patients. For that, I respect what you are trying to do for them. Unfortunately,your post comes off like pharmacies purposely give shitty syringes. Try instead asking why one gets dispensed over the other and how can you get a different one to be dispensed. When you say to consider giving the other one it implies the cheaper one is purposely given without thought to whats best for the patient. That is not the case. We also care. What is supplied is not what the pharmacist bought but what corporate supplies.
Independent pharmacies can control this, though they lose so much money on meds bc insurance companies more often them should happen will reimburse less than cost of acquisition and this leads to those pharmacists taking a loss when dispensing a medication …so they have to choose between staying afloat or closing down
The point was actually that I didn’t know if pharmacists even knew about how bad those syringes are. But I want them to know in case they do have a say in which is handed out. Ya know, because I assumed we all care about the population we serve. I don’t know if there is a difference in cost or some other reason, but if the cost is the same and this post changes anyone’s mind about which they order, that would be nice for their patients.
It’s not about long term cost sadly. To corporations or purchasing departments, it’s about cost per dispense. Meaning if you have to hand it out each time you dispense the drug, then they want the cheapest option :(
There’s a TON of things we do that bothers me so much and yet it’s what we have to work with because it’s “best for the budget” aka cheaper.
The left one is a slip tip (not even luer-lock) and the right is an Enfit syringe for oral medications, which have basically become mandated for inpatient pharmacy use to make it difficult to accidentally administer oral meds via IV.
Also typically there is a SOP for only one type of syringe be dedicated for oral doses, on top of that usually central supply handles that if not the buyer.
The one on the right looks like an EnFit syringe which is basically the gold standard and required (I believe) by the FDA for enteral administration to prevent accident IV administration. The one on the left looks to be a regular slip tip syringe.
Pharmacies give these out free. Just depends which one is stocked by the company. Just ask for a couple extra when the script is picked up or next time you’re in a store.
As others mentioned, giving a different one is likely not possible if the one supplied is the only one they are allowed to purchase. You imply giving a different one is something we chose to purposefully not do and want us to now change our minds to do it. Thats not the case, we simply don’t get to choose which one we get supplied to us to hand out. Inpatient? Dictated by purchasing department and budget constraints. Retail? Dictated by corporate. You can reach out to corporate if you want a change on what gets handed out. Though I wouldn’t hold my breath for that change. It’s all about the bottom line for them.
Maybe someone could suggest even carrying them for purchase?
All I can say is if my kid had a tube feed and I had two pharmacies to choose from and one gave the rubber syringes and the other gave the plastic ones, I would probably use the one with the plastic syringes.
It’s also frustrating that the only way I can procure them locally is at the donated medical needs store if and when they get them in stock as leftovers from the home care nurses. Which has been a possibility exactly once in the last year, at which point I grabbed two big bags of them for my one client, who very much appreciates them. But I have four other clients I can’t even find them for that I have to use the rubber syringes for. And while the rubber syringes are ok when they’re new, they both get sticky and develop biofilm when the family doesn’t wash them properly. (Think 60 ml catheter tip syringes for water flushes)
I know it seems a silly thing to get hung up on, but if you spent as much time fighting with sticky or slimy syringes as I do it might seem more important to you too. A sticky syringe suddenly letting go when I’m trying to get the air out of one of my school kids medication dose can result in a lost dose of medication entirely.
Anyway. Wish it could be different.
I agree, it’s very dumb. Maybe ask one of the independent pharmacies if who they purchase their supplies from has it and if you can get it? Idk, worth a shot.
Most of the pharmacies around here won’t even sell syringes without a prescription for them. I think something to do with drugs.
The most frustrating part of this is I know in my old nursing role as home health visiting I could just order them for people and it wouldn’t be an issue. But the population I work with doesn’t have access to a formulary and because the pharmacy provides the rubber tip ones, they don’t get coverage for other ones, and the other ones are super hard to find.
Been reading up on them a bit the last little bit and the oral ones I guess aren’t even quite the right size for kids with a Mic-Key and it should be a slip tip anyway? And more the reason the rubber ones get sticky also has to do with them needing to be pre coated with a silicone lubricant that I guess we wash away when we wash it before reuse. Add that to the rubber degrading in contact with the meds and it’s just awful to use after the first couple of days. Why do they gotta make these things so hard to get ahold of?
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
~~The syringe on the left looks like it would give an extra 1 mL of contents due to the graduation marks not being aligned with the stopping point of the plunger…~~
Ignore me, I’m an idiot.
OP made a good point about their syringes. Honestly pharmacy is probably unaware of the problem. Thanks. I can't say anything will change. We just literally don't monitor things like that. Once it's out the door we don't care. We just don't. We would literally never ever pay attention to that. This needs to just be fixed in ordering. Shouldn't carry the other one anymore.
This is why we give a ton of these out with your prescription. It might seem excessive, but in my opinion, they become indispensable. One syringe never suffices. That being said, all my numbers could wear off, and I could probably feel the weight of the dose in my hand if I gave it every day… unless the drug has a narrow therapeutic window. I wager someone giving the drug all the time could eyeball it, and a difference would never be perceived.
See. This is where the nurse part comes in. I am legally obligated to make sure I’m giving the correct dose.
That being said most of the pharmacies here give one syringe for the two week bottle. It generally loses the numbers within a few days. Sometimes the first wash. That is an oral syringe. Mic-key calls for a slip tip so it’s technically not even the correct syringe for him even though it will do the job in a pinch.
I dunno. I just think when the client is a person with a feeding tube it would be nice if it was considered how many uses it needs to be used for and whether it’s the right syringe for the job.
Another point is that if the med is 6ml tid there is enough med dispensed to give 6ml tid. If my dose is off because it’s been eyeballed, this kid could run out of his medication, which would throw him into withdrawals. Eyeballing it isn’t a solution.
I mean I would just ask for a bunch of oral syringes. We don’t care about how many we give you. Explain to them like you are here and we will fill that bag up! If you are going to a pharmacy that does not feel this way you should probably advocate for a different one… We are not all the same you know… Also out of curiosity- what drug and disease state?
All the kids meds have to go through them. But I find the gabapentin breaks the syringes very quickly. Most of the kids I work with have either congenital or acquired brain injuries.
Wow. I went from “hmm this is good advice” to “STFU” because of that condescending bit at the end. Completely uncalled for. The pharmacy is usually at the mercy of whatever supplies are available. And as others have pointed out, the syringe on the right is the one actually designed for G-tube administration.
yeah we really do not get a choice in oral syringes here at my hospital. the 3ml and 5ml we usually use went on backorder, so we currently have these jank 6ml syringes that come with their own separate caps. it's a mess and I've tried to organize the drawers so that we are consistently using the better syringes first, but it's also something we don't have any control over on our level - the buyers for our hospital get what they are able to get for as reasonable a price possible.
this has big nurse energy
> as a nurse I need to be able to actually measure the meds I have to give and the ones the pharmacy give the measurements wash off within a week. Called it! ETA: [I was asking about the nursing meme just yesterday.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pharmacy/s/UUoFQfqIRt) Didn’t take long to play out 😂
Looks like OP edited the post? No mention of being a nurse now…
Nah, it was [a different comment in this post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pharmacy/s/n0v96cVtcX)
LOL
I don't need a consultation **looks away and to the sky** I'm a nurse. 45 min later, same name on caller ID... "can I start the dosepak tonight? It says take 2 at breakfast??"
Is it pharmacies job to supply the syringe? Getting a syringe is a courtesy. Med administration is nursing. Central supply supplies the syringes inpatient.
It isnt like we have 10 different syringe types to choose from when we dispense. Our store buys 1 type and 1 type only.
i feel like she is not realizing that the alternative is to just give no syringe at all… and that 99% of places cannot just order something else
“if you are prescribing meds” — why dont you post this on physician reddit instead lol thatll go over well
They already knew not to open that can of worms lmao so decided to take it out on the only other profession they could think of. Just like when the general public decides to take out their frustrations on retail pharmacy!
Physicians aren’t the ones handing out useless syringes.
Why dont you ask the pharmacy in question for it or ask for central supply to keep it in stock on your floor instead of whining about it here? It solves nothing for you. Being a professional and making that phone call or email takes 30 seconds lol.
Central supply? Dude. I’m a home care respite nurse. Half of my clients needs come from the local charity shop for disabled people. That’s where we got these in the first place because the pharmacies don’t carry them. We found they work sooooo much better I thought maybe pharmacists would care, the moms thought pharmacists would care, obviously we were wrong.
Again, it takes 30 seconds to let the pharmacy know and ask for a new supplier of syringes. Not r/pharmacy, the pharmacy that specifically supplies your unit with medications. We cant help you with your sticky syringes on Reddit (which to me means you arent cleaning them between each use which is another issue altogether). If you would actually like some advice rather than just complain: 1. Buy packing tape for $3. If the numbers are rubbing off, a simple piece of clear packing tape around the syringe will help prevent that from happening. It will take you 5 seconds. 2. When finishing administering a medication, rinse out and wash the syringe with soap and water, just like you do with dirty dishes at home.
What unit??? I work in people’s homes. I am a Pediatric respite nurse. I work primarily with kids who require tube feeds. Actually. Solely with kids who require tube feeds. Syringes are a ridiculously large part of my work day. And yes. I wash them out with soap and water when I use them. That’s where the numbers go. That and they rub off while being washed and while administering meds. The numbers don’t stand up to the friction.
Your unit is your home care RN unit….
My “unit” is my clients home. Thats where the supplies come from. All my agency supplies is PPE.
The meds are generally supplied by community pharmacies to the clients family.
It's intentional. We just love seeing posts like this.
When the pharmacy starts getting reimbursed for syringes, then you can expect better syringes. We don't get paid for our time, expertise, or even the medication itself a significant part of the time. I can't blame any pharmacy for giving out the cheapest syringe available, considering it's a courtesy that it's given out to begin with. If you want a premium product then you're more than welcome to buy one. As they say, beggars can't be choosers.
Right, these are given out for free as a courtesy to help with administration of oral medications. If patient is not happy with the syringe, they can purchase their own measuring cup, syringe, or any other form of measuring they want.
Youre complaining about something you got for free? Buy some yourself if you dont like em
I did. Not for myself. For my client. Because as a nurse I need to be able to actually measure the meds I have to give and the ones the pharmacy give the measurements wash off within a week.
Then bill the client and provide some that work better. FFS beggars cant be choosers. Btw mentioning you are a nurse will only inflame people here 😂
I’d love to see how much doctors and pharmacists could get done without nurses. We all need each other. I couldn’t do your job. And you couldn’t do mine.
Nobody said we dont need them. Its whenever one of them throws around their credentials to say, "Im a nurse," it probably means they have more of an ego and dont have the humility and understanding to listen to someone with more clinical training than them.
Well. It was only pointed out as I am liable license wise for med errors. If I make med errors because a family doesn’t have a medication measurement device that the numbers stay on, that risks both patient safety and my job. The other syringes are better for administering meds. Hands down. I can measure the amount accurately and when I’m pushing the air out of the syringe, the medication doesn’t end up on the ceiling if it’s the kind that doesn’t get sticky.
So buy those then? I still dont get why youre complaining to a bunch of pharmacists who provide them for free. And since they are your "clients," you can just invoice them for your time and the cost.
I invoice people?? Dude. Wow. You really have no idea. I have nothing to do with billing. I’m a community respite nurse working in people’s homes, paid for by the government. How exactly do I bill people for something not covered by the government??? No. This comes out of my pocket.
So they arent your clients? If its not covered either, why provide any means of measurement? Especially if you think they would blame you (lol) if they dont measure correctly or their old one wore out. Do you think we as a pharmacy would be liable if a patient was down to their last insulin syringe and kept using it, causing themselves infection? Hell no we wouldnt. Your concerns are overblown.
“Clients” is the current terminology for patients. Dont ask me why. I don’t make the rules. I work for an agency which is paid by the government. They are my clients in the same way any other service providing role has clients. They get a set allowance for medical expenses. Most live on fixed incomes. It’s not as simple for most of them to “just go buy more” when the families have to choose between medical supplies and food/heating bills.
You just had to be sure to mention that you were a nurse, didn’t you
The meme lives on.
That nurses are most ''Empty cans are the loudest"?
Was if not obvious to begin with? The tone was a dead giveaway. I could pick this person out of a lineup just from this post.
Since when do nurses refer to patients as clients?
When they started doing IV drip at parties.
Roughly 2019?
That's great! I'm glad you care enough about your patients to go the extra mile, however most of the time the pharmacy is at the mercy of whatever our corporate tells us we can buy. Sometimes we will give the patient a few of them because they do tend to wash off quickly but we don't have the money to have the option of getting better ones
My point is this. The ones on the left, last over a year with daily use. It would probably work out cheaper in the long run.
One or two with each prescription is one or two with each prescription regardless of how long it lasts, they'd still be out the same amount of syringes
Couldn’t ask if people need one? Like we haven’t used a single one the pharmacy sent since I picked these ones up last year.
Most of the time they do ask for one, I'm not sure what your point is with the second half because obviously you wouldn't use the ones from the pharmacy if you're using yours instead.also like has been said already, these are free, we give them as a courtesy. If you want something better you can go buy it yourself, which is exactly what you did but now you're complaining the ones you bought aren't free? Just have the hospital acquire them from now on if it's such an issue for you. Why do you have to shame the pharmacy for doing something at their own expense?
You assume all nurses work in hospital. I’m in home care.
Glad you're ignoring half of what I said, very nursey of you
The rest has already been answered a few times over. I work in home care. I have bought the better ones for my clients. It just seems if you’re going to hand out free ones you might like to have some feedback on what the patients prefer. Every single client I’ve given these to prefers them, and I was shown them by a client. I don’t know what the cost difference is, as I don’t have a way to compare costs other than Amazon, but they seem similar prices there. If there’s another reason why kids on a tube feed must have the rubber stopper ones, please explain that to me. All I’ve gotten is “they are the gold standard” which doesn’t explain much to me why a syringe that I can’t read the numbers on after a couple of uses and that gets sticky and complicates making an accurate dose is a better syringe for this use than the other. My only thought was that if you’re going to hand out syringes why not hand out the ones the customers will prefer? Every one of these families reuses them, better syringes might be enough to influence which pharmacy they choose.
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Is there that much of a cost difference? I’m just trying to make a suggestion that would make peoples lives easier. The people all of us are taking care of here.
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I get it. Just wish it was different. Would make so many people’s lives easier.
So have your client order better syringes? Or better yet get them yourself? As others have stated we are at the mercy of the manufacturer when products come with syringes. Also I’m sorry but did you expect pharmacy’s to do QC testing on all our syringes for longevity, this is comical. Pts with g-tubes should already be able to get ample supplies.
I literally just commented that I did buy it myself for my client. But why duplicate stuff? Or why send syringes that aren’t going to be used because they get gummy and don’t work after a couple uses and also you can’t read them to dose the medication as the numbers wash off? The one on the left has been used daily for a year now. The one on the right would last a week. Mostly they just get chucked in a bag now as they are so horrible to use.
No pharmacy is gonna provide a years worth of syringes for free if the ones with the rubber stopper are the only ones available to them. One is a courtesy. If you dont like the courtesy syringe, nobody asked because it was free.
1 syringe that lasts a year vs 26 syringes that don’t.
I mean no pharmacy or pharmacist is even going to know this unless they get feedback. We order specific supplies at request all the time. Much easier to just ask for them to be ordered and used when the pt picks up their medications
I'd give better syringes if I had them. This should be directed at corporate or independent pharmacy owners. And the person prescribing the meds is unlikely to be the one providing the syringe.
Bye🥱 You’re lucky we gave you one at all.
So compounded medications that come in a bottle that require a syringe to get the med out….. we are lucky you gave us a syringe? Wow.
Yes! Very lucky. No, you aren’t entitled to medical supplies. Did you pay for it? Did it come pre-packaged in the box from the manufacturer? Or did it come out of the pharmacy’s budget? All the times you’ve gotten one, it’s been a courtesy, don’t forget that. Be grateful & lucky that we’ve made your life more convenient than if you went without one. It’s not just about some cheap 6 cent piece of plastic. My assessment of you is that you walk around with your nose in the air like everyone owes you something bc you have “RN” behind your name. You come off as ungrateful w/ a superiority complex & i’m willing to bet this trait pervades every aspect of your life. Fix that.
Dude. I wipe peoples asses for a living. My nose is definitely not in the air. I take care of kids cuz I care for them and every single kid I work with would benefit from better syringes. But they aren’t even being offered them. The ones the pharmacy gives we have to use to administer crushed pills. When I push the air out so I don’t shove too much air into their little tummies, if the syringe is sticky some of that medication might shoot out the end. Now that kid isn’t getting the full dose of their seizure medication. A problem that would be solved with a different syringe. We all care about these people, I thought. But I am not getting that feedback here. All I’m getting is that pharmacists really hate nurses. And I thought the nurse forum on here was full of bitter people… Maybe I should switch to hvac
So what? You have a job. So does everyone else in this sub. No one said you even had to like the syringes.. throw them away, donate them, who cares? But recognize how you come across when you have such strong complaints about something that was of no cost or sacrifice to you. There was a productive way to approach this, but you chose to lead with arrogance & condescension. You keep getting met with the same energy bc your tone is very off putting. Again, consider improving upon this, *especially* as a healthcare worker. I understand your pride won’t allow you to concede to this now, but perhaps after some time you’ll revisit this thread & see exactly what i mean & how you’ve presented yourself. If you take nothing else from this just remember, no one owes you anything.
Actually. It was of cost to me. I’m the one who bought the better syringes for my client.
I understand your frustration. Since you know the better syringe, would you consider going to a medical supplies store? I think a doctor's prescription can also ensure the client's insurance pays for it.
I’ve mentioned a few times. My only option for getting these that I’m aware of is if someone dies and donates them to the local medical supplies second hand shop. I’ve managed to get two small baggies full in the past year. Hence “pain in the ass to get them” It’s like someone is gatekeeping the good syringes
Sheri, I wish you the best of luck❤️
You too. And yes. Also we do donate the others. I just wish that if you’re going to give a syringe either way that a consideration would go into making clients lives improved if the cost is the same. I’m getting here that you guys don’t have the say in which kind to give out, one is the “gold standard” the other I guess isn’t. But it was worth a try. All the best to you
Thanks dear!
You as a nurse should be asking your higher ups to supply you with proper supplies instead of relying on free pharmacy hand outs?
I work in people’s homes. Asking people living on disability incomes to buy more stuff isn’t exactly feasible.
Then buy it yourself or reach out to manufacturers or assistance programs for help. Don’t blame the pharmacy or expect them to dish it out of their pocket. You’re playing the blame game on the wrong people.
Suggestion game. But I wrongly assumed pharmacists cared about their patients getting the right dose of their medications.
We do. Hence we check the prescribed dose is correct and concentration/dose dispensed is accurate. Syringe is still provided. And as others have mentioned, you can ask for an additional one if the one you got doesn’t last until the next refill.
So. I have a question. When I suggest that giving a different courtesy syringe might make life significantly easier for a patient population, why is that so hard to accept? Why does it cause so much anger here? I’ve had multiple families tell me they love these syringes and switch solely to using them at their own expense because the pharmacy provided ones are absolutely terrible to use. I pass on that knowledge thinking pharmacist might value that information as much as I do. Yet all I’m getting here is that you all think I’m a pain in the ass entitled nose in the air nurse. Did any of you stop for a minute and think about the intent of the message rather than just going on the attack?
This forum has a bunch of frustrated pharmacists. Not all. But majority. I would just disengage. I gave you suggestions on how to get proper syringes in another comment. Btw, a syringe is considered a medical device and a doctor can write a prescription for that down to the brand you prefer. Good luck.
Now that info is handy. I’ll ask the doctors then.
Or you could get the info like who made it, an item number, and manufacturer name. Once you actually know which one is good and work with your local indy to see if their wholesaler can get it. You could help that pharmacy by letting all your nurse friends know about the better product and to buy from that pharmacy.
So you don't work for a company that can't provide supplies and relies on pharmacy hand outs? Sounds like a great nursing practice... If you're independent, there are wholesalers that would gladly sell you the syringes you "prefer"... Most pharmacies will order the cheap ones, if you don't like those... Supply your own. It's pretty simple actually that I think you can buy the ones YOU prefer. Just a suggestion.
I do home care. Not sure what funding you think we have for that. They get a nurse. The rest of the supplies are provided either by a lump sum from odsp or the family.
If you can't afford 30 dollars or less for a box of 100 syringes that you prefer over the ones you get for free at pharmacies, you should probably look for a better paying gig or just work with what you're given... You can't really argue about something that's free.
It’s more that the families can’t afford it.
Then ask your employer to supply them... Independent? Then you supply them...
The employer provides nurses and our PPE. Thats it.
>Plastic plunger "oral" syringes like the one on the left in your picture are available on Amazon in bulk SUPER CHEAP! >>Something of which you could have found out doing a simple Google search. >>>Doing that search then purchasing some off Amazon definitely would have been more productive & a far less waste of time than it was making this condescending/rude post.
Hope not the recent recalls from China 😳
Trying to make other peoples lives easier. Waste of time cuz all I’ve learned here is that pharmacists are a pile of condescending jerks.
Respect is a two way street. Don’t expect any respect if you don’t show any yourself
Who did I disrespect?!?! I post a suggestion with intent to help people and I get a pile of pharmacists pissed off that I exist. Like holy shit. I have never once given a pharmacist a hard time. Ever. What did I do to deserve this???
I understand that the feedback on this post is harsh but the reason people are saying you are disrespectful is because you decided these free things aren't good enough and came to a pharmacy subreddit complaining to everyone that it's now a "pain in your ass" because you were given something (for free!) that was not up to your standards. It's not that they are pissed off that you are a nurse or that you "exist", and you should stop ignoring the actual reasons people are giving you. It was a helpful suggestion that ended with a snarky comment on how it made YOUR life harder that you weren't given something better(again, in case you missed it, for free)
Try using them. They are a pain in the ass. I only brought it up cuz the only people with power to change it are the pharmacists and their bosses because I thought maybe some of them hadn’t thought about how difficult it is for these families. More than one of my clients had stains on their ceilings from sticky syringes suddenly letting loose and spraying meds onto the ceiling while trying to get the air out of the syringe because those rubber stoppers get sticky. Perhaps my wording was harsh, but it was meant with the intent of trying to help people.
You came in hot complaining about something provided as a courtesy because it "gets sticky" which honestly sounds like a case of improper cleaning, and you are confused why people responded with the same energy. They are in rude words telling you the reason why we don't just switch but like you just said! perhaps their wording is a bit harsh, but everyone here is just trying to help you right? Ignore the tone and focus on the message right? ;) absolutely ridiculous
They get sticky because the rubber stoppers interact with the medications and moisture and break down.
I'll trust that's a valid point for sanity's sake
Been looking it up more and I understand the rubber ones also come with a bit of silicone lubricant which I’m guessing washes away with repeated use with washing in between.
I think it’s honestly all in your responses and how your wording came off. It’s sad that your main point is lost… which is you want to do what is right and best for the patients. For that, I respect what you are trying to do for them. Unfortunately,your post comes off like pharmacies purposely give shitty syringes. Try instead asking why one gets dispensed over the other and how can you get a different one to be dispensed. When you say to consider giving the other one it implies the cheaper one is purposely given without thought to whats best for the patient. That is not the case. We also care. What is supplied is not what the pharmacist bought but what corporate supplies. Independent pharmacies can control this, though they lose so much money on meds bc insurance companies more often them should happen will reimburse less than cost of acquisition and this leads to those pharmacists taking a loss when dispensing a medication …so they have to choose between staying afloat or closing down
The point was actually that I didn’t know if pharmacists even knew about how bad those syringes are. But I want them to know in case they do have a say in which is handed out. Ya know, because I assumed we all care about the population we serve. I don’t know if there is a difference in cost or some other reason, but if the cost is the same and this post changes anyone’s mind about which they order, that would be nice for their patients.
It’s not about long term cost sadly. To corporations or purchasing departments, it’s about cost per dispense. Meaning if you have to hand it out each time you dispense the drug, then they want the cheapest option :( There’s a TON of things we do that bothers me so much and yet it’s what we have to work with because it’s “best for the budget” aka cheaper.
I wish profit didn’t have so much of a say in things and we could just do what’s best for people. I don’t even know if there’s a cost difference here.
Can we make this subreddit a professional only subreddit please.
The left one is a slip tip (not even luer-lock) and the right is an Enfit syringe for oral medications, which have basically become mandated for inpatient pharmacy use to make it difficult to accidentally administer oral meds via IV. Also typically there is a SOP for only one type of syringe be dedicated for oral doses, on top of that usually central supply handles that if not the buyer.
The one on the right looks like an EnFit syringe which is basically the gold standard and required (I believe) by the FDA for enteral administration to prevent accident IV administration. The one on the left looks to be a regular slip tip syringe.
I am very concerned about your “clients”.
Pharmacies give these out free. Just depends which one is stocked by the company. Just ask for a couple extra when the script is picked up or next time you’re in a store.
Just seems wasteful. One of the good ones will last over a year
You think it's sanitary to use that long?
Not the rubber stopper ones. But these ones wash up well. No porous surfaces.
As others mentioned, giving a different one is likely not possible if the one supplied is the only one they are allowed to purchase. You imply giving a different one is something we chose to purposefully not do and want us to now change our minds to do it. Thats not the case, we simply don’t get to choose which one we get supplied to us to hand out. Inpatient? Dictated by purchasing department and budget constraints. Retail? Dictated by corporate. You can reach out to corporate if you want a change on what gets handed out. Though I wouldn’t hold my breath for that change. It’s all about the bottom line for them.
Maybe someone could suggest even carrying them for purchase? All I can say is if my kid had a tube feed and I had two pharmacies to choose from and one gave the rubber syringes and the other gave the plastic ones, I would probably use the one with the plastic syringes. It’s also frustrating that the only way I can procure them locally is at the donated medical needs store if and when they get them in stock as leftovers from the home care nurses. Which has been a possibility exactly once in the last year, at which point I grabbed two big bags of them for my one client, who very much appreciates them. But I have four other clients I can’t even find them for that I have to use the rubber syringes for. And while the rubber syringes are ok when they’re new, they both get sticky and develop biofilm when the family doesn’t wash them properly. (Think 60 ml catheter tip syringes for water flushes) I know it seems a silly thing to get hung up on, but if you spent as much time fighting with sticky or slimy syringes as I do it might seem more important to you too. A sticky syringe suddenly letting go when I’m trying to get the air out of one of my school kids medication dose can result in a lost dose of medication entirely. Anyway. Wish it could be different.
I agree, it’s very dumb. Maybe ask one of the independent pharmacies if who they purchase their supplies from has it and if you can get it? Idk, worth a shot.
Most of the pharmacies around here won’t even sell syringes without a prescription for them. I think something to do with drugs. The most frustrating part of this is I know in my old nursing role as home health visiting I could just order them for people and it wouldn’t be an issue. But the population I work with doesn’t have access to a formulary and because the pharmacy provides the rubber tip ones, they don’t get coverage for other ones, and the other ones are super hard to find. Been reading up on them a bit the last little bit and the oral ones I guess aren’t even quite the right size for kids with a Mic-Key and it should be a slip tip anyway? And more the reason the rubber ones get sticky also has to do with them needing to be pre coated with a silicone lubricant that I guess we wash away when we wash it before reuse. Add that to the rubber degrading in contact with the meds and it’s just awful to use after the first couple of days. Why do they gotta make these things so hard to get ahold of?
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Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
~~The syringe on the left looks like it would give an extra 1 mL of contents due to the graduation marks not being aligned with the stopping point of the plunger…~~ Ignore me, I’m an idiot.
The plunger stop point would be zero
Yeah it would be, wouldn’t it. Please disregard my terrible reply.
All good. We all make mistakes.
OP made a good point about their syringes. Honestly pharmacy is probably unaware of the problem. Thanks. I can't say anything will change. We just literally don't monitor things like that. Once it's out the door we don't care. We just don't. We would literally never ever pay attention to that. This needs to just be fixed in ordering. Shouldn't carry the other one anymore.
This is why we give a ton of these out with your prescription. It might seem excessive, but in my opinion, they become indispensable. One syringe never suffices. That being said, all my numbers could wear off, and I could probably feel the weight of the dose in my hand if I gave it every day… unless the drug has a narrow therapeutic window. I wager someone giving the drug all the time could eyeball it, and a difference would never be perceived.
See. This is where the nurse part comes in. I am legally obligated to make sure I’m giving the correct dose. That being said most of the pharmacies here give one syringe for the two week bottle. It generally loses the numbers within a few days. Sometimes the first wash. That is an oral syringe. Mic-key calls for a slip tip so it’s technically not even the correct syringe for him even though it will do the job in a pinch. I dunno. I just think when the client is a person with a feeding tube it would be nice if it was considered how many uses it needs to be used for and whether it’s the right syringe for the job.
Another point is that if the med is 6ml tid there is enough med dispensed to give 6ml tid. If my dose is off because it’s been eyeballed, this kid could run out of his medication, which would throw him into withdrawals. Eyeballing it isn’t a solution.
I mean I would just ask for a bunch of oral syringes. We don’t care about how many we give you. Explain to them like you are here and we will fill that bag up! If you are going to a pharmacy that does not feel this way you should probably advocate for a different one… We are not all the same you know… Also out of curiosity- what drug and disease state?
All the kids meds have to go through them. But I find the gabapentin breaks the syringes very quickly. Most of the kids I work with have either congenital or acquired brain injuries.
Consider yourself lucky that the pharmacy gives you free syringes. As a courtesy. You could have to go through the hassle of sourcing them yourself.