Bolus Administration of Intravenous Antibiotics - Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline

Key learning point:

Administering IV antibiotics by bolus instead of infusion where possible offers great cost and carbon savings as well as more efficient use of nursing time. Savings could be amplified if IV bolus administration was adopted as standard practice across NHS specialties and for all IV drugs suitable for this route of administration.

Setting/Patient Group: District General Hospital

Issue to be addressed: Delivery of intravenous antibiotics were all given by infusion even is bolus administration could be safely used. Infusion delivery used a significant amount of plastic equipment.

Intervention:

• Retrospective audit of pharmacy records over a one-year period to calculate possible financial and carbon savings of switching to bolus administration when appropriate. 13 antibiotics were identified as suitable for bolus administration.
• Staff educated to deliver drugs safely by bolus and practice was changed

Outcome:

Social:

• (not documented)

Environmental:

• 6.73 tonnesCO₂e saved annually (estimated)

Economic:

• £17,060 saved annually (estimated)