Ready-To-Use IVs
Safety and convenience drive pharmacy’s interest in RTU IV products, and their continued use is a result of the high satisfaction these products engender. While this year saw a dip in the number of facilities using of point-of-care devices, perhaps due to accessibility issues, projections indicate that most facilities will maintain or increase their usage going forward. It is notable that more facilities are moving toward assembling the RTU IV products in a PEC within the cleanroom and then delivering the product to the unit, rather than leaving these products to be assembled by nurses on the floor.
Few facilities choose to specialize using a single delivery method; most (76%) take a combination approach utilizing both syringes and piggybacks.
While point-of-care devices continue to be commonly used by facilities of all sizes, there was a small decrease this year in usage, from 70% to 64%.
The safety and ease of use that defines RTU IVs is reflected in their solid satisfaction ratings; 85% of users give them high marks.
Baxter continues to lead the point-of-care device category, followed by B. Braun and ICU. Notably, some facilities consolidated their purchasing this year and are now sourcing these products from fewer vendors.
Facilities are increasingly likely to assemble most of their RTU IVs in a PEC within the cleanroom; 50% of all facilities currently take this approach. Nonetheless, nurses assembling RTU IVs on the unit remains a frequent practice.
RTU IVs continue to serve in a supplemental role; most facilities utilize these products for less than one-quarter of all of their IV needs.
Looking ahead, more facilities are planning to maintain their current levels of RTU IV purchasing than are planning to expand their purchasing of these products.
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