Preparing the Anesthetic Syringe

Equipment

1) Sterile syringe

2) Disposable needle

3) Anesthetic cartridge

Syringe Loading Technique

1) Follow aseptic procedures

2) Remove sterile syringe from autoclave bag

3) Hold syringe in the left hand and use the thumb ring to fully retract the piston rod

4) Piston rod retracted, place the cartridge in the barrel of the syringe

5) Rubber stopper end goes in first

6) Once cartridge is in place release piston rod

7) Engage cartridge and harpoon

by placing moderate pressure

on the thumb ring bar

8) Do not hold hand over

cartridge while engaging the

harpoon (safety)

Engaging the Needle

• Remove protective plastic cap

• Screw needle onto the syringe

Needle Safety

ProTector – needle recapping guard

Recapping the Contaminated Needle

• Recapper located in instrument cassette

• One handed scoop method

Unloading the Anesthetic Syringe

1) Unscrew needle with protective

cap in place

2) Retract the piston to release harpoon from the cartridge

3) Remove the cartridge from the syringe by retracting the thumb ring

4) Discard cartridge and needle

into sharps container

Changing to a Second Cartridge

• Recap the needle

• Retract piston

• Remove used cartridge

• Place new cartridge

• Engage the harpoon

Preparing the Anesthetic Syringe Quiz

1. Where should the used needle and cartridge be

disposed of?

a. The regular garbage

b. A sharps container

c. A plastic biohazardous bag

d. Any of the above

b. A sharps container

2.Name two acceptable ways to recap the needle.

___________________ __________________

One handed scoop method, recapper

3. The ProTector is a _________?

a. Guard against overdose

b. Guard against needle over insertion

c. Card for needle recapping protection

c. card for needle re-capping protection

4. What is recommended to assemble on the syringe

first, the needle or the cartridge?

a. Needle

b. Cartridge

b. Cartridge

5. When inserting the cartridge into the syringe,

which end is down, or toward the harpoon?

a. The end with the metal/latex opening

b. The end with the rubber stopper

b. The end with the rubber stopper