Aim: To evaluate the impact of switching doxorubicin syringes to infusion bags on pharmacy compounding and nursing administration in the day therapy unit.
Method: The cost of consumables used, amount of doxorubicin recycled and discarded as wastage was compared between the year before the switch in February 2021 and the year after. A survey was distributed to all nursing staff in the day therapy unit on their perspectives on the impact of the switch.
Results: There was a cost saving of $4542.57 in consumables comparing the year before and the year after switch, as well as a total of 679mg more doxorubicin being recycled and 3095mg less doxorubicin being discarded as wastage. This compares 2607 syringes being made (1186 doses) in the year before, to 1228 bags (and doses) in the year after. Anecdotally, the infusion bags are easier and quicker to make and has a perceived lower risk of spills. 23 nurses responded to the survey and most agreed that IV bag was easier to administer compared to syringe (65% strongly agree, 22% agree). A majority thought IV bag causes less repetitive strain injury (52% strongly agree, 22% agree) and most thought IV bag gives nurses less cytotoxic exposure (57% strongly agree, 26% agree). Just over half of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed that IV bag causes less extravasation (52%) and that patient would prefer IV bag over syringe (55%).
Conclusion: There is significant cost savings to pharmacy by switching from doxorubicin syringe to infusion bag and nurses found administering infusion bags easier and safer. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the impact on patients.