Help Avoid Delays and Errors With Topical Hemostats

Orders for topical hemostats (fibrin, thrombin, etc) are causing confusion...due to varying dosage forms, storage, preparation, etc.

Topical hemostats are often needed urgently to stop bleeding at surgical sites. Mix-ups may lead to treatment delays...patient harm...and increased costs in operating rooms.

Dosage forms. Avoid errors with different dosage forms that have the same brand or generic name. For example, Gelfoam comes in a powder and differently sized sponges. And an order for "thrombin" could be for Evithrom liquid, Thrombin-JMI powder, etc.