Effect of use-criteria for intravenous administration sets

Numbers of intravenous administration sets used were studied in a 480-bed hospital before and after criteria for selecting sets were implemented. Criteria for use of eight common administration sets were developed by a committee of nurses and pharmacists. Hospital drug-use review was used as a pattern. Baseline data were collected for seven-day periods on each of five patient-care units; twice daily, one pharmacist recorded the numbers of sets used and determined their compliance with the criteria, which had been established but not disseminated to nurses or implemented. After nurses were instructed on use of the criteria, data were collected for a second seven-day period on each unit. Use of each set type as a percentage of all sets and compliant use of each type as a percentage of all compliant use were calculated. Annual hospitalwide cost savings were predicted from the observed changes in use and the hospital's costs in the six-month period before the study. Significant changes occurred in overall use and in use of individual set types. For each set type, use compliant with the criteria increased. Notable changes included decreased use of volumetric chambers (burettes) and increased relative use of Y maxidrip and Y minidrip sets. Annual savings of more than +20,000 were predicted. Criteria for selection of i.v. administration sets had an effect on set use at this hospital.