How should vesicants be administered: IV push or short infusion?
The ONS Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (Polovich, Whitford, & Olsen, 2009) allows for IV push and short-term infusion administration of vesicant agents. Because little evidence exists to identify either practice as superior, both have been used for many years with few complications. Each institution should decide which works best based on the individual setting and the nurses’ comfort with administering the drugs. Short-Term Vesicant Infusion Polovich et al. (2009) provide some specific recommendations about short-term vesicant infusions (Section IV: Fundamentals of Administration, pp. 73-103). When administering a vesicant drug by short infusion using a peripheral vein, avoid using an IV pump to decrease pressure on the veins. Stay with the patient and watch for signs of extravasation, verifying blood return every 5–10 minutes. Avoid using a peripheral IV site for continuous vesicant administration. A central venous access catheter or implanted
