There have been a couple of incidents during the administration of IV iron in the last few months. Because of this we are putting in some measures to ensure we are giving this medication as safely as possible.
- IV Iron Infusions are only to be given in core working hours to ensure that appropriate medical support is readily available should a reaction occur:
- General Ward Areas (including SAU) Monday to Friday 09:00 to 16:00
- For Acute Floor, Same Day Emergency Care (Medical /Surgical) and Frailty, ED, ICU: Monday to Sunday 09:00 to 16:00
- Please DATIX all allergic reactions to ensure we are monitoring closely, and to establish if there are significant issues
- IV iron must be via Volumetric pump and not gravity drip infusion
- Patients must be observed during the first 15 minutes, at least 30-minute intervals for the duration of the infusion, and for 30 minutes after completion of the infusion
- Patients must be counselled on the risks (leaflets supplied by the company are available in ward areas), consented and documented in the medical notes
The iron guidelines have been updated on the intranet to reflect these changes and can be found here:
DTG71 - Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anaemia - ADULTS (V1.2).pdf (cht.nhs.uk)
Any queries? Please get in touch with your pharmacy team in the usual way