Reconstituting Your Medication

While there are many steps in the following procedure, we recommend performing all the steps in this order, and not skipping any steps. This is for your protection, as infections can be very serious, even life threatening. Once you do this a few times, it will become second nature, and the procedure will be easy.

  1. Wash your hands.
  2. reconstituting-your-medication-001Gather your supplies.This should include the vial of medication, the vial of sterile water or saline (this is called the diluent,) 2 empty syringes, two needles, sharps container, elastomeric pump prefilled with
    with saline or IV bag, and alcohol wipes. You should have a clean, solid surface work area, such as a table that has
    been wiped with an antiseptic wipe.
  3. Always check your medication label, making sure the information is correct – your name, name of the medication, dosage, expiration, etc. If there are any discrepancies, call Infuserve America immediately.
  4. reconstituting-your-medication-002You will need to remove the plastic covers from the tops of the medication vial and sterile water vial. To do this, place your thumb on the edge of the plastic top and flip it up so that the tops pop off. You will expose a rubber stopper.
  5. reconstituting-your-medication-003Wipe these rubber stoppers vigorously with an alcohol wipe. Use two different wipes, one for each. After wiping, you should not touch these rubber stoppers again.
  6. reconstituting-your-medication-004Open the package with the needle. The needle will have a cover protecting it – you may hold it there. Do not touch the end of the needle that attaches to the syringe. This part of the needle must remain sterile. It should not touch anything other than the tip of the syringe, which is also sterile.
  1. reconstituting-your-medication-005Open the package with the syringe.  Do not touch the exposed tip. Attach the needle to the syringe bytwisting it on. Again, you may handle the needle by the cover that protects the needle.
  2. Remove the cover from the needle.  Do not touch the needle.
  3. reconstituting-your-medication-006Holding the syringe in your non-dominant hand, pull back on the plunger to the prescribed amount of diluent. The syringe will be filled with air.
  4. reconstituting-your-medication-007Pierce the vial of diluent with the needle and inject the air into the vial. This will make it easy for you to withdraw the fluid.
  5. reconstituting-your-medication-008Turn the syringe and vial so that the vial is at the top. Hold the syringe and vial together with your non-dominant hand.
  6. Pull back on the plunger of the syringe, withdrawing the fluid into it, until you have the correct amount. You will need to keep an eye on the tip of the needle inside the vial so that it remains “under water.” You may have to withdraw it from the vial (carefully so that you do not touch the shaft of the needle) to keep the tip below fluid level.
  7. Once you have the correct amount you need in the syringe, remove the needle completely from the vial.
  8. reconstituting-your-medication-007Pierce the stopper on your vial of medication with the needle.
  9. Inject the diluent into the vial of medication. Withdraw the needle and discard the syringe and needle.
  10. reconstituting-your-medication-009Gently agitate the vial, making sure the medication dissolves completely. You should not see floating particles.
  11. reconstituting-your-medication-005Open a new syringe and needle, and place the needle on the tip of the syringe as you did previously. Again, it is important that the tip of the syringe, and the end of the needle that attaches to it, only touch each other. Should they come in contact with you or another surface, please discard them and start again.
  12. reconstituting-your-medication-003Vigorously wipe the rubber stopper of your medication vial with alcohol.
  13. Pierce the rubber stopper of the medication vial with the fresh needle and syringe.
  14. reconstituting-your-medication-010Turn the syringe with the vial connected upside down, and withdraw the medication into the syringe. Again, make sure the tip of the syringe is “under water” the as you withdraw the plunger. Withdraw as much of the fluid as you can from the vial.If you are putting your medication into an IV bag:
  15. reconstituting-your-medication-011You will see your IV bag has two “ports” at the bottom. Wipe the end of the rubber stopper with an alcohol prep.Use this port to inject medication in bag
  16. reconstituting-your-medication-012Pierce the stopper with the needle attached to the syringe, and inject the medication in the syringe into the bag.Follow the directions for “Spiking Your IV Bag” and “Administering Your IV Infusion.”If you are putting your medication into an elastomeric pump (a “home ball”):
  17. reconstituting-your-medication-013Carefully remove the needle from the syringe and dispose in your sharps container. Again, make sure the exposed end of the syringe does not touch anything.The end of the syringe should not touch anything
  18. reconstituting-your-medication-014Remove the cap on the top of the pump, being careful that the exposed tip does not touch anything.
  19. reconstituting-your-medication-015Attach the syringe with the medication in it to the tip of the pump by screwing it on snuggly. Inject the contents of the syringe into the pump. Replace the cap.
  20. You are now ready to infuse your medication. Please follow the instructions for using the “Elastomeric Pump” or “Spiking your IV”.