Morphine continuous infusion in home care?

[megpillow]

Hi All,

As home care nurses, have you ever had a patient on a morphine continuous drip or PCA in their home? Was this situation an end of life situation?

Thanks for the information - home care is not my specialty.

[BBP42]

I have seen this for homecare hospice or palliative care, and one cancer patient who was neither but had truly unmanageable pain after trying several other methods, via subQ in abdomen connected to PCA pump, and site rotated every few days. I think it is very effective.

[Elfriede]

In an end of live situation I know PCAs.

Continuous drip is better to be replaced by plasters.

(See: "Fentanyl")

At home, you can`t control the drip all the time.

These plasters are also a possible primary care for a

chronical-pain-pt, to keep his need-medication under control.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I have sent many patients home on morphine or dilaudid PCAs as a home infusion liaison. These were end of life patients. I once was asked about it in a non-end of life patient but, as it is in no way typical to discharge a post-op child who is still needing a PCA and there was a history of substance abuse in the parents, we declined to accept the case.