Syringe pump community charts now updated
16 Aug 2017
The RM Partners Palliative Care Group has overseen the production of revised syringe pump documentation for use in the community with palliative patients. These are updated versions of the guidelines and related charts currently being used across parts of south London and north London.
This work supports the principle of standardisation of any syringe pump documentation used with palliative patients in the community, as this enables smoother, safer transition of patient care from one setting or service to another, especially given the multiplicity of providers that may be involved with such patients. When different charts are in use, it requires transcribing of important clinical information which is a high risk process, which should be avoided if at all possible.
While primarily for use in the community, they may be required in hospitals discharging patients back to the community or of use on inpatient units where in-house prescriptions do not provide the necessary space and scope.
The documentation includes the following:
- Guidelines When Using Syringe Pump Community Charts
- Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion From A Syringe Pump
- ‘As Required’ (Prn) Subcutaneous Injections
- Regular And Single (“Stat”) Dose Subcutaneous & Intramuscular Injections
- Controlled Drug Stock Balance Chart
- Subcutaneous T34 Syringe Pump Infusion Administration Record And Checklist, and
They are available in Word versions to be completed electronically, and PDF versions to be printed off and completed manually. Organisations can include their own logo on the Word format if desired.
The majority of the work was undertaken by Steve Wanklyn, Consultant Pharmacist in Palliative and End of Life Care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Margaret Gibbs, Specialist Senior Pharmacist at St Christopher’s Hospice.
The charts and related guidelines are available on the palliative care web page.