Tag: sodium chloride

Three Surprising Outcomes of the IV Solution Shortage

IV Solution Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash
Posted on by Administrator
Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash
Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash

The United States is still suffering from a shortage of sodium chloride injection bags. These hospital staples have been in short supply since the factories in Puerto Rico were affected by hurricanes in late 2017. Hospitals use IV solution for everything from rehydrating patients to dosing medications. Without them, hospitals and doctors have had to improvise. Here are three surprising outcomes of the IV solution shortage.

1. Hospitals Are Making Their Own IV Solution

Hospitals have what they need to make IV solution. 0.9% saline is not chemically complex. It is, however, a time-consuming process that most hospitals would prefer to avoid. The vast majority of 0.9% saline used in the United States was manufactured in Puerto Rico and shipped to the mainland. There are two factors to considers. First, factory damage and second, the lack of sound shipping practices. For these reasons, significant amounts of supply have dried up. As a result, hospitals have had to use their compounding pharmacies to create their own. More often than not, they’re still unable to meet supply demands.

2. Doctors are Rethinking Treatments

Not every doctor has access to a compounding pharmacy. Even if a doctor does, the supply still trails far behind the demand at the moment. This event has lead to doctors rethinking their treatments.

One of the most significant advantages of the sodium chloride injection bags is that they make it easy to give patients medicine. Hospital staff mix medication with the solution and the drip rate controls the administration. For nurses who are on a tight schedule, this is key. Without the injection bags, it becomes more difficult to dose patients. Doctors are rethinking how to administer drugs, and finding the dosing and schedule that works the best for their patients. In the months and years to come following this shortage, these alternate methods may be used to reduce dependence on sodium chloride injection bags in emergency situations, or even reduce them entirely.

3. It Influences The Future of World Saline Production

There are heavy regulations in the world of hospital manufacturing. There should be–lives are literally at stake. However, due to the pressing need of this emergency, the FDA has loosened some guidelines on the import of IV bags. These products are virtually identical and often made by the same company. Moreover, they often produce the bags in factories not typically approved by the FDA. As these bags perform well and ease the burden in the US medical industry, it calls into question the efficiency of some current claims. While government agencies do not always move quickly, it’s possible that this disaster could opperate as a trial run for a new, more responsive set of regulations.

The IV solution shortage is not a good thing, but it can bring good things with it. Doctors are thinking of new ways to treat patients. Hospitals are working on refining their pharmacy procedures to be more self-reliant. In the future, the solutions to our current problems may form the guideline to prevent the repetition these issues.

Sodium Chloride Shortage is Hurting Hospitals

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Photo by Daan Stevens on Unsplash

Sodium Chloride, more commonly known as saline solution, is used in clinics and hospitals worldwide. Unfortunately, a recent disaster has left the world struggling to find the right solutions in the right amounts. Doctors are trying different tactics, which is affecting patient care across the globe. What comes next?

What Sodium Chloride is Used For

Sodium Chloride is a hospital and clinic essential. Most IV’s are partially saline. At its most simple, Intravenous IV Solution Flexible Bag 1,000 mL bags part #L8000 can be used to rehydrate a patient suffering from severe dehydration. The smaller bags, such as 500 mL bags part #L8001 and 250 mL bags part #L8002, are regularly used as a dosing mechanism for medications from painkillers to antibiotics and beyond.

A nurse mixes meds into a bag of saline, then attaches the bag to the patient’s IV. The rate of flow controls the rate of dosing, and the nurse is on to care for the next patient. It’s a quick and effective means of controlling the dose of a medication. With some bags, particularly smaller bags, being impossible to find at the moment, hospitals are scrambling to find another easy to way to administer meds.

What Disrupted Sodium Chloride Production

In a high tech world, it’s sometimes astounding that a low tech problem can throw the world out of order. Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico and left turmoil in its wake. Many medical manufacturers reside on the island. One of the largest brands of saline products has a factory there. Even though the factory itself sustained minor damage, production has still been slow. It’s difficult for Puerto Ricans to get to work and even more difficult to move products off the island. Doctors who need Preservative-Free Intravenous IV Solution Flexible Bag 1,000 mL bags part #L8500 can’t get it.

It could be months before sodium chloride production is back at its previous levels. Most hospitals are already out of their standard sizes and are looking for alternatives. When production does come back online, it will be to the relief of many.

Worldwide Response

The worldwide response to this crisis has been admirable. During the first weeks after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, the FDA gave permission for other plants to import their saline into the US, easing some of the burden. It’s simply not enough. Demand for saline hasn’t gone down; doctors still would prefer to use 250 mL bags part#L8502 by B.Braun than have their own pharmacies spend time compounding sodium chloride themselves.

Resourcefulness is the only response. Most centers with the resources have devoted themselves to manufacturing what sodium chloride they can on their own. Others, however, are looking for other ways to administer drugs that are effective, safe, and quick. Regardless, everyone is looking out for what may be rare tomorrow.

In most hospitals, getting Preservative-Free 0.9% Intravenous IV Solution Flexible Bag 1,000 mL bags part #L8000 used to be as easy as asking for it. But it’s not that easy anymore. As more hospitals treat their patients without or with less saline, doctors wonder what could be next.