Med Shortages

psu_213, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

We have not had IV compazine for months.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 17, 2012

Yep.. out of that and IV Reglan.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

Actually there currently are shortages nationally of ativan IV, compazine IV, reglan IV, all common benzodiazepines IV. Basically all common IV antiemetics, except phenergan, which my facility rarely uses and haldol, for which it is an off label use.

brainkandy87 · Apr 17, 2012

We haven't had IV Zofran since December. Only have the 500 mcg vials of Fentanyl (and that's only for a real emergent need). Ran out of IV Phenergan a few times, but it's been in good supply lately. Haven't ran out of Ativan yet, but honestly that wouldn't surprise me if it happened soon.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2012

Our main use of compazine is (was?) for migraines. After the hospital ran out, the pharmacy called me and (rudely) told me "we are out of IV compazine, so if they are nauseated, tell your doc they have to give zofran." Which, if they are nauseated from their migraine I guess (?) zofran would work, but we almost never give it for migranes. Now it's reglan in the place of compazine. Haven't run out of that...yet.

Guest 360983 · Apr 18, 2012

We've been short enough on Ativan that we're grabbing it from the psych EC. The pharmacy doesn't seem to understand that when HALF of our ER is full of psych patients, we'll need more Ativan than normal. At least the psych EC is pretty understanding; they're more likely to use Haldol or Cogentin anyways.

I've been working in the EC for 3 months and we've never had any IV antiemetics. I think we recently got Reglan back for like an afternoon. We've been burning through Zofran ODT.

thelema13 · Apr 18, 2012

Were out of IV reglan, IV lopressor, IV toradol 30mg and 60mg, IV zofran, IV compazine. Also, the reagent for acetone blood test. We have been getting in a day or two's worth of zofran once or twice a month, but that has been going on for almost 6 months now.

They also pulled cardizem drips from our pyxis. I mix it much faster than the 20-30 minutes it takes our pharmacy to mix a stat cardiac drip.

Robublind · Apr 18, 2012

Out of dilaudid (the drug seekers are having a fit), compazine since forever, morphine we only have in 10mg in 1ml carps (alot of wasting going on), ran out of zofran a month back but got it back in. Thank God we have toradol and ativan, I don't know how you run a ED without those 2 drugs. Im not the biggest fan of reglan (tends to wig out my pts)

Is it just me or should there be some national attention to this problem? We get 20min of news on how secret service agents are visiting hookers but in a country who spends so much on health care, we have to deal with shortages like we are in a third world nation (sorry for those reader in a third world nations who have to deal with these problems everyday and if they had the equipment and resource we have would be in ED heaven). These are all drugs that have been on the market for a long time, all generic. We should be swimming in them. Sorry rant is over.

ckh23, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2012

Not only do we have a shortage of drugs, but we now how a shortage of the glass syringes for PCA pumps. How hard is it to make glass?

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 18, 2012

Totally forgot ... we also ran out of the acetone reagent, of course right when I have a new onset diabetes guy. And rapid strep tests -- can only culture, very disappointing for the instant gratification crowd!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 18, 2012

Is it just me or should there be some national attention to this problem?

Perhaps only when Dennis Quaid's kids can't get morphine ... I don't know, I guess it takes a celebrity. Haha.