# Filtered needle anyone ???



## Ms.Medic (Feb 25, 2009)

Is anyone familiar with the "filtered needle" law ??? Im not sure if it varies by state, or if its a national thing.


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## ffemt8978 (Feb 25, 2009)

Ms.Medic said:


> Is anyone familiar with the "filtered needle" law ??? Im not sure if it varies by state, or if its a national thing.



Wasn't aware there was a law about it...


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## Ms.Medic (Feb 25, 2009)

ffemt8978 said:


> Wasn't aware there was a law about it...



I very well could be wrong about it, but according to some, it says something to the effect that if your ambulance carries ampules, you HAVE to have a filtered needle. I cant seem to find specifics, so I was wondering if anyone may know about it.


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## VentMedic (Feb 25, 2009)

You do understand why a filtered needle is used?  

Hopefully if medical professionals are taught the proper indications for the use of a filtered needle, there shouldn't be a need for a law.  

P&Ps are sometimes required to state filtered needles to ensure patient safety during the use of some medications or their containers and that is required by JCAHO and other accrediting agencies in health care.


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## Aidey (Feb 25, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Hopefully if medical professionals are taught the proper indications for the use of a filtered needle, there shouldn't be a need for a law.



This. If I don't have a filter needle, I won't give a med out of an Amp. End of discussion.


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## reaper (Feb 25, 2009)

I thought glass was good for the veins!!!!!!!!!


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## Ms.Medic (Feb 25, 2009)

LOL, I like that.


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## eric2068 (Feb 25, 2009)

We did away with ampules, which suits me just fine. Even with a filtered needle, I was never quite comfortable with them. Just didn't trust them.


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## AJ Hidell (Feb 25, 2009)

Like everyone else, I am not aware of any "law" regarding the use of filtered needles.  Do you mean law in the legal sense, or in the "law of physics" type of context?

In my experience, the use of filtered needles is not yet widespread for filtering out glass particulate from ampules.  It may be prevalent in some places, but not in others.  I'm not even sure if it is in the paramedic curriculum anywhere.

I never used a filtered needle until just a few years ago when amiodorone hit the market.  It is taught that a filtered needle should be used for injecting amiodorone because the drug has a tendency to crystallize in the syringe or IV line.  I think you will find that that is where most filter needles are used, not for routine use in drawing from ampules.


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## Aidey (Feb 25, 2009)

Where ever I've worked that used ampules we've always always had filter needles. In fact, one place I worked taped a filter needle to every amp so they were right there. I was also taught about them in MICP school, and Amiodorne hadn't been around pre-hospital for very long then, at least not in my area.


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## Epi-do (Feb 25, 2009)

AJ Hidell said:


> It is taught that a filtered needle should be used for injecting amiodorone because the drug has a tendency to crystallize in the syringe or IV line.



I know that can happen with some meds, but was never taught that amio was one of them.  We do have filtered needles, but it is because we carry ampules of epi 1:1,000.  Everything else is in either bristojets or vials.


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## TransportJockey (Feb 25, 2009)

Never seen a filter needle, but have used filter straws to pull epi up


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## AJ Hidell (Mar 1, 2009)

Epi-do said:


> I know that can happen with some meds, but was never taught that amio was one of them


There are two components to education:  being taught and learning.

If all you take away from your course is what your instructors teach you, you're not achieving true education, and certainly not at a level of competence, much less excellence.  Did your instructors assign you to independently research the medications you were studying?  Even if they did not, did you do so on your own, in order to achieve better understanding of the dangerous substances you will be injecting into living human beings?  Even the most rudimentary search of any drug handbook or the Google immediately reveals the recommendation for filtering when administering amiodarone.  It would be literally impossible to miss.  If your instructors missed it, they fail.  If you missed it, you fail.  And so do your patients.

Personal responsibility, folks.  Grasp the concept.  YOU are responsible for your education.  YOU are responsible for knowing what you are doing.  YOU are responsible for human lives, not your instructor or your protocols.  There is NO excuse for not knowing all of the important information about the drugs you are administering.  And if your agency is carrying amiodarone, but not carrying filters, this needs to immediately be brought to the attention of those in charge.  If they are not immediately responsive, then that needs to be brought to the attention of your Medical Director.


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## Epi-do (Mar 2, 2009)

AJ Hidell said:


> Did your instructors assign you to independently research the medications you were studying?  Even if they did not, did you do so on your own, in order to achieve better understanding of the dangerous substances you will be injecting into living human beings?  Even the most rudimentary search of any drug handbook or the Google immediately reveals the recommendation for filtering when administering amiodarone.  It would be literally impossible to miss.  If your instructors missed it, they fail.  If you missed it, you fail.  And so do your patients.



First of all, yes, we were assigned to do independent research of medications, and were regularly tested on all of the medications.  Those tests included the information we were expected to find on our own, and not just the info the instructors gave to us.

As for filtering of amiodarone, I can say with certainty that no where in my drug reference book (Mosby's 2008 Nursing Drug Reference) does it mention the need to use a filtered needle.  Furthermore, I have looked at multiple reputible websites this afternoon and have yet to find any of them that mention the use of a filtered needle either.

So, despite the desire to learn additional information on my own, the failing of my instructors, and the inadequacies of the authors/publishers of the various books and websites I have looked at, I should not have been able to "miss" this piece of information and am obviously a failure.  Quick, I had better find a new career and get out now before I really screw something up.  Silly me for not knowing something so _obvious_ after only being a medic for 3-4 months.  Trust me, I know there is alot I wasn't taught in class, plenty to still learn, and I have every intention of continuing to do so.


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## medic417 (Mar 2, 2009)

Filter charts.

http://www.utmb.edu/rxhome/Operations/Filtrations.htm

http://bhmhrx.wikispaces.com/IV+Filter+Chart


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## Epi-do (Mar 2, 2009)

medic417 said:


> Filter charts.
> 
> http://www.utmb.edu/rxhome/Operations/Filtrations.htm
> 
> http://bhmhrx.wikispaces.com/IV+Filter+Chart



Thanks for the info!


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## Hastings (Mar 2, 2009)

Several filtered needles carried at all times here, and used when appropriate.

Most often for the administration of Epi.


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## DV_EMT (Apr 21, 2009)

So, as a Rx Tech, I have a bit of insight thats pretty straight forward.

The purpose of the filter needle is to filter glass out of ampuoles. Easiest way to put it into a bolus it is to pull it up with a normal needle, then replace the needle with a filter needle and push it into the bag. if your giving it IVP (push), you should start with the filter needle and then switch to a normal needle. 

but ampuoles always always = filter needles. just the order changes


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## EMT-StudxMuffin (Apr 25, 2009)

DV_EMT said:


> So, as a Rx Tech, I have a bit of insight thats pretty straight forward.
> 
> The purpose of the filter needle is to filter glass out of ampuoles. Easiest way to put it into a bolus it is to pull it up with a normal needle, then replace the needle with a filter needle and push it into the bag. if your giving it IVP (push), you should start with the filter needle and then switch to a normal needle.
> 
> but ampuoles always always = filter needles. just the order changes




Yes very true, I still hold my pharmacy technician state license and national certificate. I've made tons of IVs and compounded a lot more meds. Filter, Filter, Filter.


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