Publications

The approach used to administer an antibiotic depends on the pharmacological properties of the drug and factors such as drug stability. Information provided as food for thought in a rapidly evolving health care landscape.

The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and adverse events (AEs) experienced by patients treated within the Hospital in the Home (HITH) service of a major metropolitan hospital in South Australia. A retrospective case note audit of 100 HITH episodes among adults who received continuous intravenous antimicrobial therapy via an elastomeric or electronic infusion device was undertaken. Age- and sex-adjusted binomial logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify factors associated with major and minor AEs.

This study aimed to compare and contrast the safety and efficacy of nurse- and self-administered paediatric outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) models of care and to identify clinical factors associated with documented adverse events (AEs).

Elastomeric infusion pumps are widely used in the delivery of parenteral medications in the home, but real-life conditions may not match calibration or standardised testing conditions. This study investigated the impact of changes in infusion pump height and/or back pressure on infusion pump function.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of instructional sterile compounding videos posted on a popular video-sharing website (YouTube). YouTube was systematically searched using relevant terms (aseptic compounding, sterile compounding) to identify all videos demonstrating aseptic manipulations of compounded sterile preparations in a cleanroom. Promotional videos, news stories, interviews, and videos with manipulations performed outside a cleanroom, without audio or spoken in a language other than English, were excluded. Three experts independently reviewed each video and assessed the quality of key sterile compounding processes, information delivery, and overall suitability for workforce training using a standardized assessment tool.

Previous studies comparing satisfaction with electronic and elastomeric infusion pumps are limited, and improvements in size and usability of electronic pumps have since occurred. The Comparing Home Infusion Devices (CHID) study plans to assess patient and nurse satisfaction with an elastomeric and electronic pump for delivering intravenous antibiotic treatment in the home. Secondary objectives are to determine pump-related complications and actual antibiotic dose administered, evaluate temperature variation and compare pump operating costs.

Home infusion therapy is being increasingly utilised. Little is known about variation in the temperature of the infusion solution in the home and its effect on drug stability. The aim of this study was to investigate temperature changes over a 24‐h period during usual daily activities and assess the effect of ice packs on infusion solution temperature during storage at 25°C or 32°C.

Few studies have assessed the safety of antibiotic infusions in the hospital in the home (HITH) setting, or the vascular access and ambulatory infusion devices used for delivering these infusions. The aim of this study is to explore treatments and health outcomes for HITH patients administered continuous antibiotic infusions through an ambulatory infusion device.

In 2015, Andrew Sluggett was a joint recipient of the Hospira Young Pharmacist Award. Andrew undertook a 3–day aseptic compounding training course and visited nine home infusion pharmacy organisations in the United States (US) during his 4–week study tour.