Code Management
The half-life of Treprostinil (Remodulin).
What is 3-4 Hours?
This person or people should be notified if a patient is on a prostacylin infusion.
Who is the Pulmonary Team and Pharmacy?
This is the reason you should never flush the line that is infusing a prostacyclin medicaion.
What is a bolus?
Flushing would bolus the medication in the line and be life-threatening.
Prostacyclin drips require the use of a 0.22 micron filter.
True or False?
What is TRUE?
The half-life of Epoprostenol (Veletri).
What is 6 minutes?
This is the percentage of the volume aspirated that must you calculate when preparing to prime the line with a new concentration.
What is 80%?
This is the reason is it important not to pause a prostacyclin infusion for an extended time.
What is abruptly lowering or withdrawing dosing can cause severe adverse reactions, including death?
Prostacyclin drips can only be initiated in the ICU.
True or False?
What is TRUE?
Prostacyclin drips should only be initiated in the ICU. If a patient is stable, the patient can be transitioned to an alaris pump if we are maintaining their home dose in PCU.
This is when you should request a replacement bag from the pharmacy for a Epoprostenol (Veletri) Drip.
When is as soon as you hang a new bag. You should always have a second medication bag in the refridgerator or on ice with Epoprostenol (Veletri)?
The reason the original dosing chart might be adjusted to a faster or slower titration on pharmacy's scheduled dosing chart, when transitioning from Epoprostenol to Treprostinil (only in ICU).
What is based on the patient's clinical presentation? LOOK AT YOUR PATIENT! If the signs and symptoms are still there, Treprostinil may need to be increased faster. If adverse effects are present, Eprostenol may need to be decrased faster. NOTE: Any changes from the original dosing chart will be provided
This is the benefit to switching a patient from their home pump to an alaris pump when they receiving a continuous prostacyclin infustion as an inpatient.
What is safe infusion management?
We can safely manage the infusion if they are no longer able to manage it themselves for any reason. For example: Altered mental status, loss of consciousness or running out of their home medication. The decision is ultimately up to the Pulmonary Provider who would place the order.
It is okay to pause the alaris pump if it is beeping while waiting for a new bag to be sent from pharmacy.
True or False?
What is FALSE?
Pausing the pump should be avoided whenever possible. If it must be paused, it should be restarted ASAP.
This is when you should request a replacement bag from the pharmacy for a Treprostinil (Remodulin) Drip.
What is 25% of the current bag is remaining?
You have an order to start a Remodulin drip for a patient who is currently on their own IV pump from home. When priming the line's "dead space," you see blood in the syringe after aspirating 0.96ml. After taking note of this volume, you continue to draw 10ml as your waste. After flushing the line per policy, this number of mls of the new medication concentration should be instilled in the line.
What is 80% of 0.98ml = 0.78mls?
This is the rationale for priming the line with the new concentration when switching from a patient's home prostacyliin pump to an alaris pump.
What is infusion concentration safety?
The new concentration will be different from their home pump even though the dose will be the same. It is important to aspirate and waste to get rid of the old concentration before instilling the new concentration.
You should only flush the line when giving IV medications if your patient is on a Prostacylin Drip.
True or False?
What is FALSE?
The line that is infusing a prostacyclin drip should not be used to administer any other medications. Do not flush!