Morphine 2 mg Hospira carpuject syringes IV only?

[storyhill]

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I got a question from a nurse about why the Hospira morphine syringes say "intravenous use only". I told her I know you can give morphine IM and am not aware of a reason why morphine sulfate couldn't be given IM. I was thinking maybe it just says that on this particular product because it is supposed to be used with a carpuject injector that is reusable and that system can only be used as IV. Our nurses just use a separate syringe and draw it up. Any other ideas why it says this on this product? Thanks.

 

[rph3664]

I got a question from a nurse about why the Hospira morphine syringes say "intravenous use only". I told her I know you can give morphine IM and am not aware of a reason why morphine sulfate couldn't be given IM. I was thinking maybe it just says that on this particular product because it is supposed to be used with a carpuject injector that is reusable and that system can only be used as IV. Our nurses just use a separate syringe and draw it up. Any other ideas why it says this on this product? Thanks.

Maybe it's to prevent it from being used orally? It's doubtful that 2mg would be ordered that way, except maybe on a peds unit, but 10 or 15mg? Sure.

BTW, I have also seen it ordered as a nebulizer treatment, for air hunger in a terminal patient.

 

[pharmdpharmd]

There was a shortage of morphine a while back, and Hospira had to change the formulation and because they wanted to get it faster to the market they only applied for IV administration to the FDA. If you look at the pi, it only says IV. With that being said, I don't see why it can't be used IM, technically it's not approved, but not because it's harmful but because Hospira never applied for it.