We are currently looking for suggestions to improving on the traditional 'lock box' for securing controlled substances that are actively infusing. We recently explored using a locakable PCA pump for the administration of all controlled substances but found that there would not be a standard approach to this and we would still have to operate a mixed (bags and syringes) system. Any feedback on how your organization has solved this security issue would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Lee

An FDA safety communication on syringe pumps (http://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20171115052211/https:/www.fda.gov/Med...) called attention to serious consequences of incorrect use and the need for clinicians to better understand their limitations. There is a recent interprofessional discussion on the nuances of syringe pumps that may lead to unexpected medication delivery. Best practice recommendations are provided for ensuring desired infusions..

How do other facilities handle IV insulin push administration. Does nursing draw up on the floor or does pharmacy draw up the dose? If nursing draws up are you using luer-lock insulin syringes and if you are how have you mitigated safety risks?

Hello all,

One location of our organization is a standalone ED. We recently had a need to administer hypertonic saline but do not store that product in patient care areas, we always supply from pharmacy as patient-specific volume (as part of our high risk policy risk reduction strategies). How do other organizations handle this product for this type of location? Do you allow a premix bag to be stocked in an ADC knowing there is a the potential for the wrong amount to be infused? We currently do not have pump-interop.

Thank you!

Our hospital would like to begin using Fresenius Kabi's concentration based Levothyroxine IV solution product (20 mCG/mL, 5 mL),but we are having a hard time figuring out stability of patient specific syringe pulled in IV room in ISO 5.

Manufacturer does not give ANY stability information for when the dose is drawn up in a patient specific IV syringe(BD/Monoject). Anyone has any experience, with dispensing the product, that they can share?
Thank you.

Our hospital would like to begin using Fresenius Kabi's concentration based Levothyroxine IV solution product (20 mCG/mL, 5 mL),but we are having a hard time figuring out stability of patient specific syringe pulled in IV room in ISO 5.

Manufacturer does not give ANY stability information for when the dose is drawn up in a patient specific IV syringe(BD/Monoject). Anyone has any experience, with dispensing the product, that they can share?
Thank you.

Hi all -
We are in the process of changing our medication filtered extension sets. I wanted to get a feel for how many sites send medication filters from pharmacy vs how many sites have nursing get medication filters from supply chain/materials management.
Thanks-
Maria Cumpston, PharmD, CPPS
Medication Safety Officer
WVU Medicine
304-598-4000 ext 73356

For those that use Epic, how have you addressed this ISMP Best Practice?
Verify and document a patient’s opioid status (naïve versus tolerant) and type of pain (acute versus chronic) before prescribing and dispensing extended-release and long-acting opioids. Please comment on how you do this inpatient and outpatient.

We are attempting to revamp our current compliance report to gauge the adherence of barcode scanning for inpatient pharmacy or oncology clinic pharmacy staff dispense patient specific doses using Dispense Prep and Dispense Check from data in the Electronic Health Record (EHR).

• What benchmarks has your organization set for compliance in terms of scanning medications in pharmacy prior to filling, verifying, and tracking deliveries? Is there any industry standard that you know of?

We are in the final stages of Enfit conversion for our children's hospital. Did any of you who have converted utilize transition connectors during the transition period from regular connector to Enfit connector? We had planned to but now our product reps have warned against them due to the dead space particularly with small volume medications in the neonatal population. How did you handle this? Did you change all patient's currently with NG/OG tube on product transition day?

Thanks!