How to Mix Your Desferal

1. The first thing you need to do before you begin mixing is the most important step when mixing your Desferal: Wash your hands with soap and water for 3 minutes! Unclean hands can cause infection.
   
   
2. If you are using Emla cream or a patch, place the anesthetic a half hour to an hour before preparing for infusion. If you are using a spray, use immediately before inserting your sub-Q needle.
   
   
3. Lay out all supplies on a clean table or flat surface, preferably on a sterile drape or clean towel.
   
   
4. Open all bottle tops, needle and syringe packages. Try to keep everything as sterile as possible. Ways to do this include:
   * keep everything on or in the sterile packaging.
   * do not touch the open parts of the tubing, needles or tops of the Desferal and sterile water bottles.
   
   
5. Wipe all sterile water and Desferal vials with alcohol pads (make sure you have enough since you will be sterilizing the vials a couple of times).
   
   
6. Attach straight needle to syringe and fill with air. Don't touch the needle of tip of the syringe!
   
   
7. Insert needle into sterile water vial. Slowly push the air into the vial. Turn vial over and draw out precribed amount of sterile water. Remove needle from vial. <next>

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