Critical Care Antineoplastic Infusions: Safety and Practice Essentials.

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Critical Care Medicine
• Intravenous Infusion Therapy

Background:

• Oncology care is rapidly evolving with new treatments.
• Despite a trend towards outpatient care, inpatient hospitalization is often necessary for antineoplastic infusion therapies.
• Acute and critical care nurses play a vital role in administering these complex treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline key nursing practice considerations for administering oncology infusions in critical care settings.
• To emphasize best practices for optimizing patient outcomes.
• To highlight strategies for minimizing risks associated with infusion therapy in critically ill patients.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on oncology infusion therapy in critical care.
• Identification of essential nursing knowledge and skills.
• Emphasis on patient and nurse safety protocols.
• Discussion of challenges specific to critically ill patients.

Main Results:

• Nurses require specific knowledge of hazardous drug handling.
• Safe medication delivery and prompt management of adverse effects are crucial.
• Unique challenges exist for infusion therapy in critically ill patients.
• Best practices focus on optimizing patient outcomes and minimizing risks.

Conclusions:

• Effective administration of oncology infusions in critical care demands specialized nursing knowledge and adherence to safety protocols.
• Optimizing patient outcomes requires careful attention to medication delivery, adverse event management, and patient safety.
• This article provides a framework for best practices in this high-acuity setting.