From Pharmacy: The good, the bad and the dashboard

12 Nov 2017

By: Joseph Schnabel, Pharm.D., BCPS, director of pharmacy and Matt Tanner, Pharm.D., BCPS, clinical coordinator

 

There has been a lot of news about IV and injectable medications and what we can (or cannot) get! In general, the supply of IV fluids and IV medication has been volatile for months. In the coming weeks, you will probably be prompted to think about what can your group to do minimize waste in IV fluids. More to come on that after the next PLC meeting.

Updates and recommendations

• IV pantoprazole and IV metronidazole are both back in good supply in pharmacy. All alternatives and restrictions based on the recent shortage have been removed.
• Injectable hydromorphone and fentanyl are both in good (but tenuous) supply. Please use PO where able.
• A large supply of morphine syringes was recently delivered. The ongoing supply is tenuous (the nation-wide shortage is still on), but our current situation is no longer dire. Please continue to use oral alternatives as able.
• We are out of small IV piggyback bags. Things you are used to seeing in a piggyback (like ertapenem, some cefazolin, thiamine, etc.) are being sent as syringes or IM because we cannot provide piggybacks for dilution. We will change back to piggybacks when we get piggybacks back in.

Stay current on drug shortages at the Drug Shortage Dashboard (link is on the Salem Health’s intranet under Tools and Resources.) The dashboard is being updated two to three times a week and as major changes occur. Questions? Call or email Matt Tanner (503-814-2048).