Our COO is looking for the pharmacy department to come up with flex staffing for our staff. We are struggling to see how this would be possible. Do any other facilities do flex staffing?? If yes, how are the staffing levels determined, etc...

Thank you!
Sarah

Our facility is in the process of updating our PCA prescribing policy and I am looking for a little feedback. The policy submitted to me for approval does not include an assessment of the patient's opiate status. I feel like there is a bigger risk for older adults who have never used any sort pain medications of having exaggerated results. Also, do others assess because of tolerance or even opiate abuse/dependence before they order the medications?

Our facility is in the process of updating our PCA prescribing policy and I am looking for a little feedback. The policy submitted to me for approval does not include an assessment of the patient's opiate status. I feel like there is a bigger risk for older adults who have never used any sort pain medications of having exaggerated results. Also, do others assess because of tolerance or even opiate abuse/dependence before they order the medications?

Hello!

My rheumatology clinic is hoping to begin prescribing marijuana for some of our patients. We are located in NY. Does anyone have any experience with prescribing marijuana in ambulatory or outpatient settings? If your institution has a protocol or policy written concerning prescribing of marijuana, what does it look like?

Thanks so much for the help in advance!

Stephanie

Our standard concentration for insulin infusions is 100 units/ 100 mls. With the small volume fluid shortage, we're having a hard time keeping the 100 ml bags in stock. One suggestion here to keep our same concentration was to make 250 units/ 250 mls. That concerns me because we recently had an error where an entire insulin bag (100 units) was mistakenly infused as a fluid bolus and patient received the whole bag. If we had been using 250 units/250 mls, it would have been more than double the units of insulin. What are others doing? Thanks,

Cortney Swiggart PharmD

I would appreciate feedback from Alaris "smart" pump users:
Have you had significant issues with the IUI connectors on Alaris pump modules? We are.
If so what was your experience? Was the pump cleaning process the root cause?
How did you address the issue? What was your plan to keep patients safe?
Were you successful finding resolution?

Thank you for your input.

Can you share your institutional rules or policy regarding how long the following fluid types can hang/infuse on a patient:
1. IV fluids prepared by your facility (with medications, electrolytes or plain fluids)
2. IV fluids commercially prepared with additives
3. IV fluids commercially prepared without additives
4. TPN
Thank You,
Cathy Goetz
Medication Safety Officer
St. Luke's Hospital
Chesterfield, MO 63017

Hello,
Regarding fentanyl, morphine, and hydromorphone injectable shortages - seeking (creative) mitigation strategy ideas. Please share what your institution is doing to conserve supplies, especially for procedural areas where PO is not an option.

Thank you

How are High Alert IV medications labeled on your inpatient nursing units?

Good morning,
Does anyone work somewhere where the pharmacy closed overnight and allows RNs to make banana bags on the floor?

Also, I always considered banana bags medium-risk compounding with 4 vials additives, would anyone else consider them low-risk instead? Thanks to anyone that can provide any insight!

Respectfully,
Jane Mauro