Incompatible intravenous drug combinations and respective physician and nurse knowledge: a study in routine paediatric intensive care

[Drug-drug interactions and physicochemical incompatibilities during acute phase after allo-SCT: Guidelines from the SFGM-TC]

Since patients require multiple intravenous drugs, drug incompatibilities and drug interactions are frequent during the acute phase following hematopoietic cell transplantation. The risk of drug-drug interactions is increased in patients with several comorbidities. The goal of this workshop was to learn how to mitigate the risks of drug incompatibilities and interactions when their usage is therapeutically warranted. Our focus was on proton pump inhibitors and antiemetic drugs as they are routinely used in hematopoietic transplants and frequently lead to incompatibilities and interactions with other drugs such as immunosuppressives and antimicrobials. Routine procedures in transplantation such as the choice of vascular access devices, the setting of infusion lines, the scheduling of administration of drugs and their dilution volumes can be effective armaments to mitigate the risks of drug incompatibilities and interactions. In addition, a multidisciplinary concertation between clinicians, pharmacists and nurses is a key point in the success of patient's care.

Examination of nursing drug administration practices via central venous catheter: An observational study

AIM

To determine the compliance with nursing drug administration procedure steps associated with access to the central venous catheter for bolus infusion in intensive care units.

METHODS

This observational study was conducted with 30 nurses working in an intensive care unit of a university hospital. The drug administrations practiced by nurses via central venous catheter were monitored simultaneously at 12:00 a.m., 02:00 p.m., and 06:00 p.m. by two observers. The data were collected using a data collection form and central venous catheter drug administration procedure steps.

RESULTS

A total of 90 different drug administrations were observed in three different treatment hours from 30 nurses. The interobserver conformity was found to be moderate in two steps (kappa = 0.520-0.627, P = 0.01) and perfect in all other steps (kappa = 0.821-1.000, P = 0.000). According to the drug administration procedure steps via a central venous catheter, all nurses applied the following steps correctly during all treatment hours: drug card control, preparation of treatment materials, checking the patient's identity, and steps of drug treatment administration. The following tasks were frequently performed incorrectly or not at all: hand hygiene (before treatment 87.8%; after treatment 82.2%), scrubbing the three-way stopcock entrance with an alcohol swab (55.6%), waiting for the alcohol to dry (81.1%), and flushing the lumen with a compatible fluid (before treatment 84.4%: after treatment 75.6%).

CONCLUSION

Observation of drug administration procedure steps via central venous catheter according to the treatment hours showed that the nurses performed many incomplete or inaccurate drug administration procedure steps and the mistakes increased toward the evening hours.

Physical Compatibility of Intravenous Drugs Commonly Used in Intensive Care Units: An Observational Study and Physical Compatibility Laboratory Tests on Anti-Infective Drugs

Background

The objectives were to perform an observation of the administration of injectable drugs in three ICUs, to identify injectable drugs administered by Y-site infusion or mixed in the same container, to compare with physical compatibility data available in the literature and to test the physical compatibility for missing data.

Methods

An observational study was realised over two weeks and patients receiving more than one injectable drug in the same line simultaneously were included. Physical compatibilities were assessed in pairs by comparing with three databases. For some missing data, three tests were realised for pairs including an anti-infective drug. Visual and subvisual evaluations were performed after the preparation, 1 and a 4-hour storage.

Results

A total of 389 combinations between two injectable drugs was observed for Y-site infusions and 31 mixtures in the same container. According to the literature, 21.1 % associations were physically compatible, 1.8 % as physically compatible potentially, 8.0 % as physically incompatible, 6.4 % have divergent data according to the databases and 62.7 % have no data. Two mixtures were documented. 37 pairs were tested and 70.3 % were physically compatible, 8.1 % were physically incompatible after visual evaluation and 21.6 % after subvisual evaluation.

Conclusions

In the majority of cases, no compatibility data are available in the literature. Laboratory tests give additional information.