What does ONS recommend regarding the administration of vincristine since the 2005 Joint Commission Sentinel Alert was released about its administration?
In 2005, the Joint Commission published a sentinel alert and, in 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement, both warning of the risk of inadvertent administration of vincristine into the subarachnoid space (intrathecal administration) resulting in a number of tragic deaths around the globe. In 2006, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices [ISMP] encouraged institutions to reevaluate their preparation and delivery of vincristine and of intrathecal medications in general, including a multidisciplinary review of the process of drug preparation and administration. Recommendations were published in the ONS Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Guidelines and Recommendations for Practice (Polovich, Whitford, & Olsen, 2009) Nursing Education and Management section (pp. 343-345). They include the following. • Both [the Joint Commission] and WHO recommend that vincristine and other vinca alkaloids be diluted and administered via a minibag. Opponents to this approach have cited th
