This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, P. E Articles by Vaida, A. J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, P. E Articles by Vaida, A. J Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB VINCRISTINE Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Oncology medication safety: A 3D status report 2008

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, phil.johnson{at}moffitt.org

Carole R Chambers, BSc (Pharm) MBA

Alberta Cancer Board, Alberta Canada

Allen J Vaida, PharmD FASHP

Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, PA

Background. The safe use of medications is a major concern in oncology practice. Three organizations collaborated on a survey to determine if practitioners had implemented current recommended safe practices for IV vincristine administration, general oncology safe practices, and safe practices for oral chemotherapy.

Methods. A survey was distributed to members of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) and the International Society of Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) using Survey Monkey ^TM. The Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) also solicited readers of its Medication Safety Alert! ^® to respond to the survey. A comparison to results from a survey conducted by ISMP in 2006 on safe practices for IV vincristine was also conducted.

Results. The majority of respondents were aware of the WHO recommendations for IV vincristine, although the rate of implementation of the guidelines ranged from 24.1 to 53.6%. When compared to the ISMP 2006 survey there was a 25.8—37.4% improvement in following many of the safe practice guidelines. Administering IV vincristine via a minibag showed the lowest rate of adoption (less than 40%). Of the 35 survey items on general chemotherapy safety strategies, 80% of respondents had implemented at least 21 items in the survey. Overall 32.4% of respondents did not consider oral chemotherapy as requiring the same safety concerns as parenteral therapy.

Conclusions. The results of this survey will provide a new baseline for the adoption rate of safe medication practice recommendations related to oncology. Further work on addressing barriers in adopting identified safe practice recommendations needs to be conducted.

Key Words: medication safety • oncology • error prevention

References

• Attilio RM Caring enough to understand: The road to oncology medication error prevention. Hosp Pharm 1996; 31(1): 17-26.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Cohen MR, Anderson RW, Attilo RM, Green L., Mulller RJ, Pruemer JM Preventing medication errors in cancer chemotherapy. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 1996; 53: 737-746.[Abstract]
• Proulx S., Willinger R., Cohen MR Medication error prevention: profiling one of pharmacies foremost advocacy effort for advice on error prevention. Pharm Pract Manag Q 1997; l7: 1-9.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Goldspiel BR, DeChristofor R., Daniels CE A continuous-improvement approach for reducing the number of chemotherapy-related medication errors. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 2000; 57 (suppl 4): S4-9.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Grindrod KA, Chambers CR, Hicks J. Updating a survey for medication error prevention. J Oncol Pharm Practice 2002; 8: 105-17.
• Connor T., McLauchlan R., Vandenbroucke J. ISOPP Standards of Practice: Safe Handling of Cytotoxics. J Oncol Pharm Pract 2007; 13(3 suppl.): s1-81.
• World Health Organization (WHO) Alert 115: Vincristine (and other vinca alkaloids) should only be given intravenously via a minibag. July 2007. Accessed May 23, 2008 ( www.who.int/entity/medicines/publications/drugalerts/drugalertindex/en)
• Trissel AL, Zhang Y., Cohen MR The stability of diluted vincristine sulfate used as a deterrent to inadvertent intrathecal injection. Hosp Pharm 2001; 36: 740-45.
• Stefanou A., Dooley M. Simple method to eliminate the risk of inadvertent intrathecal vincristine administration. J Clin Onc 2003; 21: 2044.
• The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert - Issue 35, July 14, 2005 - Preventing vincristine administration errors.
• Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care December 2005 Medication Alert `Vincristine can be fatal if administered by the intrathecal route.'
• Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) MedicationSafetyAlert February 2006. `IV Vincristine Survey Shows Safety Improvements Needed.'
• Gilbar PJ, Carrington CV The incidence of extravasation of vinca alkaloids supplied in syringes or mini-bags. J Oncol Pharm Practice 2006; 12: 113-18.
• Allen S. `With work, Dana Farber learns from '94 mistakes.' Boston Globe (www.boston.com) November 30, 2004.
• US Department of VeteransAaffairs `Chemo Overdose Overview' February 13, 2006 ( www.gapscenter.va.gov/stories/BetsyDesc.asp)
• Weingart SN et al. NCCN Task Force Report: Oral Chemotherapy. JNCCN March 21, 2008; 6 (Suppl 3): S6-7.
• Weingart SN, Flug J., Brouillard D. et al. Oral chemotherapy safety practices as US cancer centers: questionnaire survey. BMJ 2007; 334: 407.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• http://www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/National PatientSafetyGoals Accessed June 5, 2008.

This version was published on December 1, 2008

Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice, Vol. 14, No. 4, 169-180 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1078155208097634


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, P. E Articles by Vaida, A. J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, P. E Articles by Vaida, A. J Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB VINCRISTINE Social Bookmarking                         What's this?