Drug Counting triangles

[keith5]

Hi,

New to the site but looking for anyone who can give advice as to where it is possible to obtain a drug counting triangle. Please help as I need one quite urgently.

Also can anyone let me know the best place for purchasing denaturing kits.

Hope to hear from you soon

Keith

[Zoggite]

NPA sales desk (Tel: 01727 858687 ext 3469 Email: sales@npa.co.uk ); AAH might even stock them.
If all else fails: PM me, I'm sure I can sort one out for you!

[johnep]

Have made my own in the past from two strips wood/plastic on a piece of ply or plastic sheet. all available from model shops.

The counters I really like were similar to those used in industry on a larger scale, consisting of holes in perspex. These could be used easily for s/c or e/c coated tabs which are difficult in a triangle.

We the had King counters which could easily be fooled if you put too many tabs through at once. Many pharmacies have the torsion balances which work fine if you use say 10 tabs as sample.
johnep

[keith5]

Many Thanks,

Managed to order the triangles from the NPA, good value too.

Keith

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by keith5

Many Thanks,

Managed to order the triangles from the NPA, good value too.

Keith

Got a triangle and a capsule counter as a gift when I first qualified.
Made by Cripps and Brown from stainless steel, if you can find them on the internet.

The counter works on the principle that the total is the sum of the number of rows eg, 10 rows is 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 55.
If you remember that, then 11 rows, just add 11 to 55 = 66 and so on.

The perspex box thing with trays with holes cut out was called a "Tumatic Counter". I found them great for getting tablets everywhere but in the dispensing container. Once you got used to a triangle you could count tablets quickly, and to clean it a wipe with a tissue did the job in seconds. I've seen some "Tumatics" that were really caked with residue - red deltacortril used to come out white! No good for Euhypnos either, as the pre-gel type always used to leak - Farmitalia for you. Normison on the other hand hardly every leaked.

There you go - you've got me reminiscing. Can I interest you in a copy of my memoirs, "The prescriptions I have dispensed" and other stories.

The capsule counter is a corrugated piece of stainless mounted in a walled tray also of stainless. There are 10 corrugations, so you just count the rows of capsules.

[johnep]

For some obscure reason I have never got on with this type of counter.

Will give it another go when see one in a pharmacy.
johnep

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by johnep

For some obscure reason I have never got on with this type of counter.

Will give it another go when see one in a pharmacy.
johnep

It might be that you have tried the '2-wall' type, ie completely open at one of the sides. My trusty (but not rusty) one is the "3-wall' type with just a narrow gap to allow the tablets to be tipped very precisely.

[paul2008]

For some obscure reason I have never got on with this type of counter.

Will give it another go when see one in a pharmacy.
johnep

In Zimbabwe we generally use a completely different type of counter consisting of a tray and compartment for collecting the counted tablets. You move the tabs/caps into the compartment with a spatula in fives until you have the required number. Then return the excess to stock and pour out the counted tablets into a container. Its only since I've been teching in the UK that I've used the triangle.

Its taken some getting used to and I can't usually count without the help of a pair of tweezers. The big advantage of the triange and the capsule counter is that you can quickly check after I can quickly check after i have counted.

I think that the tray is much quicker and it can do: tablets, irreglarly shaped tablets and capsules. However I have often been interupted while counting and had to start counting again. With a triangle you can tell at a glance what needs to be done.

Paul

[johnep]

Have seen the tray with container for counted tablets in USA markets. Believe Abbotts used to give away as a freebie. at last I now know how they are used.

when apprenticed we used to pour tabs/caps into other hand and count that way. When Largactil came out, worries re skin reactions.

This method would be regarded as unhygenic now.

I have tried to get one of the USA style trays but cannot find a supplier in UK.
johnep