Administration: Mixing Powdered Medication into Suspensions

1. Gently shake the bottle to loosen the powder

Open the cap.

2. If the bottle has markings to indicate the final volume:

a) Carefully add cool boiled water to about HALF the height of the final marking on the bottle.

b) Close the cap.

c) Shake the bottle until all the powder is thoroughly mixed.

d) Allow the suspension to stand for 2-5 minutes to remove the air bubbles in the bottle.

e) Open the cap.

f) Carefully add cool boiled water until the level of the marking is reached

OR

2. If the bottle does not have any markings:

a) Using the cup or syringe provided, carefully measure or syringe out the instructed amount (in mL) of cool boiled water and add it into the bottle.

3. Close the cap.

Invert the bottle and shake the bottle vigorously for at least 5 seconds to get an even suspension. The suspension is then ready to be taken.

4. Shake well before giving each dose.

5. Follow the instructions on the label to ensure that you take the correct amount of the medication.

6. Once you have added water into the bottle, the expiry date is usually shortened.

Check the label on the bottle to know how to store the medication after it is reconstituted to a suspension and when to throw away the suspension.

7. If you have more than one bottle of the same medication, finish one bottle first before adding water into the next bottle.