sandostatin injection times

[clemmm78]

I need some comments regarding admin of sandostatin (octreotide injection), not the long-acting.

If you give it in your workplace, what times is it usually given? We are having a debate in our palliative care. The day nurses schedule the a.m. dose for 6 a.m. but some of the night nurses are reluctant to wake patients for this one med if there are no others, so they would prefer to see it changed to 8 a.m., when there is a much higher likelihood of the patient being awake.

Thanks,

[taramayrn]

I believe we normally give this drug at 0800. I certainly wouldn't give it at 0600 (unless the pt requests it at that time, etc) and wake the pt up unnecessarily.

We normally do not use this drug for n/v or diarrhea but to suppress the growth hormone therefore hopefully decreasing tumor growth.

In this case, I believe it is dependant on the pt. If the pt is constantly c/o nausea (and if that is what the drug is being given for) then I would, as a previous poster mentioned, gently give the medication and offer analgesic and repostioning at that time as well. Also a nice warm blanket to help them resettle. Consult the pt - what would they prefer? Do they mind getting woken for the medication or would they prefer to wait until they wake?

[BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Perhaps this would best be left to the pt to decide?? ,.based on his/her response to the med,.."Mr. Jones,.we are concerned about waking you at 0600 for your injection, but we want you to be as comfortable as possible..have you noticed more plroblems if we wait until 0800?,..would you rather I wake you at 0600 or do you do okay w/ a 0800 dose?" Just a thought?

[ginger58, ASN, RN]

Perhaps this would best be left to the pt to decide?? ,.based on his/her response to the med,.."Mr. Jones,.we are concerned about waking you at 0600 for your injection, but we want you to be as comfortable as possible..have you noticed more plroblems if we wait until 0800?,..would you rather I wake you at 0600 or do you do okay w/ a 0800 dose?" Just a thought?

Good answer!:Melody:

[sister--*]

We usually give it as the pt. does at home...pt.'s preference.

Not to hijack this thread, BUT, does anyone else have trouble with these ampules shattering below the neck when trying to snap the neck?

They are about the only ampules we encounter this problem with. Thank goodness they have a paper identification wrap around the ampule body or it would be much more dangerous then it already is. We've tried a "cozy" safety device but that only covers the top and neck area of the ampule. It's the body that shatters. Suggestions?

[clemmm78, RN]

re asking the patient - that would be too easy. :-P Thanks, I will suggest it though next time it comes up.

Re ampules, we don't have ampules, it's in vials here. Thank goodness. I hate opening amps for morphine, scopo, haldol....