How to prepare water for injection?

Do you know what can be funnier than a clown dancing with a chicken? (Spoiler alert: Nothing!) But do you know what comes close? Preparing water for injection! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we all have been there – standing clueless in the pharmacy aisle wondering how on earth we are supposed to prepare that sterile water. Well, worry not my friend! In this article, I will take you through an amusing journey of preparing water for injection like a pro.

Why is it important to prepare sterile water?

First things first, let’s address why it’s essential to use sterile or purified water while injecting medications. Apart from keeping bacteria and fungi at bay,(as if your stomach isn’t already doing enough work with obliterating them) using unsterilized tap-water can also mix minerals and contaminants into the medication which may influence its effectiveness (and not like Captain America kind of influence but rather completely derail its purpose). Hence proper preparation of sterile/saline/purified water is critical when it comes to professional medication treatment.

Types of Water suitable for Injection :

There are 3 types of waters that suit different medical scenarios:

1) Purified Water – Used only in oral liquids.

2) Sterile Water- Meant exclusively for when injections require dilution.

3) Saline solution – Dilution clarity needed during antibiotic administration as well as situations where hydration becomes vital(For instance when somebody is hungover from last night’s party bingeing) .

Now that we know our options better,Let’s begin our step-by-step process towards preparing these solutions!

Steps involved in Preparing Purified/Sterile/Saline Water :

Using Distilled/Pure Drinking Water to Prepare Purified Solution:

What You Need:

  • Glass Distiller
  • Potassium Permanganate
  • Alum
  • Filter Paper
Step 1:

Start the process by washing your hands with soap and water(Yes, I am serious this is an important step! If you don’t wash your hands that would be like having a forest fire in your backyard while wearing a tank of gasoline on your back. So, let’s not make it worse, people!)

Step2:

Fill up the distiller to its capacity with regular drinking water. Better to use mineral-free water.

Setp3:

Add potassium permanganate solution as per instructions mentioned on package.

Step4:

Blend alum powder into the insoluble gelatinous mass by adding it to distilled/pure drinking-water until all of it disperses uniformly

Caution :Avoid Inhaling fumes coming off from Potassium Permanganate Solution(or else getting high could become part of the side-effects).

Pouring out contents onto filter paper will only prove successful if done carefully since premature precipitation can easily occur when “flocculation” happens so keep an eye out for signs indicating separation.

Diluting Medications using Sterile Water :

Uses :

1) To dilute sterile concentrate drugs e.g. heparin or insulin.
2) Injection through intravenous routes and subcutaneous administration (e.g., needle aspiration)

Similar are steps involved in Saline preparation (Just replace amount/species-subjects-indicative-compounds etc.), Here’s a walkthrough –

What You Need:

  • Alcohol Swab/ Rubbing alcohol pad
  • Wet/Dry gauze/cotton wool
  • vial of drug to be diluted
  • syringe prefilled volume(size proportional)

##### Step 1:
Check out whether Your Vial Cap will pops/screws off(Make sure you have been shaking test tube ferociously enough prior attempting to open).

##### Step2:
Sterilize vial cap with alcohol swab.

Caution : Avoid using the same swab over multiple surfaces to avoid cross-contamination.

##### Setp3:

The next step is Tilt the medicine vial at a nearly 45-degree angle and insert into it syringe carefully. Draw up air volume equal to as much fluid medication you want to inject(Do not worry if your syringe screen of experience time doesn’t fill okay, maybe try something else like music lessons).

Step4:

Flip bottle upside down while holding onto the second end. Withdrawing plunger smoothly suck out water from Now release pressure inside a draw-back hole on side (or by tapping stick against side) and keep rotating them together so that all contents could combine properly(Rotate till It’s too dizzy to feel left or Right)

It’s ready! Just push gently in order for content within provide perfect balance before injecting completely but thank god there are always transparent inscriptions along each column clearly marking injection amount desired.(And believe me inserting an excessive drug will make everyone look uneasy.)

And we are done folks! Congratulations ! You did it!

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