How to Fill a Needle Rubber Cover for a Vial

Many medications are stored in vials and dispensed with a syringe, including insulin and some chemotherapy drugs. The rubber top on medication vials protects the contents from outside contamination. Needles pierce the rubber stopper easily, allowing access to dispense the medication. When you dispense medication from a rubber-topped vial, it is essential that you follow the proper procedures to prevent contamination and ensure the proper dosage.

Things You'll Need

• Soap and water
• Clean towel
• Alcohol swabs
• Syringe
• Vial

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands with soap and water, then dry them with a clean towel. Wipe the rubber top of the vial with an alcohol swab to clean contaminants from the top. Set the vial on a flat surface to air dry before using it. Do not blow on the surface to dry it, because you can introduce germs and contaminants.

• 2

  Remove the safety cap from the plunger on the back of the syringe and discard. Pull the protective cap from the needle-end of the syringe. Pull the plunger back, drawing air into the syringe. Watch for the plunger base to reach the measurement on the syringe that matches your medication dosage.

• 3

  Insert the needle straight down into the vial. Push the plunger, dispensing air into the vial. Introducing the air into the vial will simplify the extraction process, shifting the pressure inside the vial.

• 4

  Hold the needle upright, using caution not to bend it. Turn the vial upside down, then pull the plunger back slowly, until you reach the proper dosage line. Slide the needle straight out of the vial.

• 5

  Check the syringe for any air pockets. Tap the side of the syringe if needed, to shift air pockets to the tip, near the needle. Push the plunger up slightly to force air pockets out of the syringe. Clean the application site with an alcohol swab before you administer the medication. Dispose of syringes according to your state's bio-hazard handling laws.