Extravasation is always a risk when administering medicines intravenously. This is when the infused drug infiltrates the tissue surrounding the injection site. The resulting injury can range from mild to lifethreatening, depending on whether the drug involved is classified as an irritant or a vesicant.
The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) defines a vesicant as “an agent capable of causing injury when it escapes from the intended vascular pathway into the surrounding tissue.”1
Healthcare is in a state of crisis across the nation. This, coupled with the impending nursing shortage and regulatory pressures, creates tension as well as an overall awareness for the need for change. Oncology patients admitted to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC) for chemotherapy treatments, as in many hospitals across the country, are sent to the medical/surgical unit. The caseload of patients receiving chemotherapy can vary week to week and month to month. As a result, maintaining competency and safe practice are challenging for the nursing staff.
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