Does anyone have a protocol for using flush bags to ensure the entire volume of a primary parenteral infusion goes into the patient? Our primary sets have a volume of ~24 mL and when an intermittent completely "infuses" there is still a somewhat large volume of drug left in the tubing. My understanding from our pump vendor is that the only way to address this is either use of a flush bag or by hanging the intermittent into a secondary line.

Hi everyone -

For those of you that have responsibility over outpatient/retail pharmacies, do you have any balancing safety metrics against productivity, that you could share? Thanks in advance for anything you may have!

We are working on improving Press Ganey scores for the medication domain. The survey questions are listed below.
We have been working on side effect education.

Please share any projects that you have worked on to improve scores at your institutions.

•Question 13 asks “before giving you any new med, how often did hospital staff tell you what the med was for?”

•Question 14 asks about side effects

Hi,

If your smart pumps and EMR are integrated, could you please respond to the questions below?

1. What was your initial goal of compliance with the use of interoperability (%)?

2. What is your current goal?

3. Does your interoperability compliance data incorporate (1) no attempts AND (2) failed attempts?

4. How long have you had smart pump and EMR interoperability?

5. What is your pump brand?

6. Who is your EMR provider?

Thank you so much in advance!
Viktoriya

Hi,

If your smart pumps and EMR are integrated, could you please respond to the questions below?

1. What was your initial goal of compliance with the use of interoperability (%)?

2. What is your current goal?

3. Does your interoperability compliance data incorporate (1) no attempts AND (2) failed attempts?

4. How long have you had smart pump and EMR interoperability?

5. What is your pump brand?

6. Who is your EMR provider?

Thank you so much in advance!
Viktoriya

ISMP has received reports from two different hospitals about McKesson packaged levetiracetam 250 unit dose blister packages that have a barcode that scans as naproxen 500 mg. Apparently one side of the unit dose blister of 10 levetiracetam tablets scans properly, but the barcode on other side indicates that the blister contains naproxen 500 mg. The NDC number is 63739-795-10. The lot number in both cases is 0000124916.

Based on visual inspection of the tablet and imprint code, the tablets contained in the blister pack all appear to be levetiracetam 250 mg.

What do you all do create awareness of twins, triplets, etc. for the sterile compounding staff? We have had issues with medication mixups due to similar names and identical birth dates.
Thanks -
Maria Cumpston, PharmD, CPPS
Medication Safety Officer
WVU Medicine

I would be appreciative if someone could share their institutions policy/procedure or any advice regarding the storage of light-sensitive medications in automatic dispensing cabinets. We are particularly interested in areas with see-through doors where there is no light protection (example a Pyxis Tower)

Hi there ~
Question for the group regarding High Alert Medications.

Does your organization currently have any sort of "identifier" or visual cue, etc. built into the EHR to alert end users to the fact that a medication is considered 'high-alert'? if so, would you mind providing information on how you have this set up / what it looks like.

I am reaching out to see how other institutions are approaching inpatient administration of COVID-19 vaccines.
• Based on the current CDC recommendations, COVID-19 vaccines should be administered alone, with a minimum 14 day window before or after administration of all other vaccines. Have you considered leveraging your EHR to alert prescribers when a patient has received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past 14 days?