Improving the medication-use process for 23.4% sodium chloride

Abstract

Purpose: Results of a study to evaluate medication storage, distribution, and safety outcomes after addition of 23.4% sodium chloride to a hospital formulary and development of a novel distribution process incorporating safeguards allowing for urgent medication removal from an automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) are reported.

Summary: A retrospective review of 23.4% sodium chloride injection doses dispensed during a 38-month period was performed at an academic medical center to evaluate times from order entry to pharmacist verification, dispensing, and administration; adverse events related to dispensing or administration; and other outcomes. Seventy doses of 23.4% sodium chloride injection were administered to 60 patients during the study period. The mean times from order entry to pharmacist verification, medication removal from an ADC, and administration were 8, 25, and 43 minutes, respectively, when the ADC override function was not used. After 23.4% sodium chloride injection's addition to the ADC override list, 16 of 30 doses were removed "on override," with order entry performed retrospectively for 9 of these doses. There were no documented adverse events related to medication distribution and 2 adverse effects possibly related to medication administration.

Conclusion: Novel storage and distribution processes for 23.4% sodium chloride injection were implemented at a large academic medical center to optimize safety related to the medication-use process. A retrospective review of 70 administered doses found the process of maintaining this medication in ADCs to be a safe and efficient method of storing and dispensing a high-alert medication.

Keywords: 23.4% sodium chloride; concentrated electrolytes; hypertonic saline; medication distribution; medication safety.