Directives to all Nurses working in SVP regarding Warfarin Administration

 

The situation regarding the warfarin has been left unresolved even though MUMN has tried to resolve the issue through an agreement.

The legal aspect must be followed and therefore SVP has to follow the practises used in MDH and in all hospitals regarding the administration of treatment.

A directive which is to come into effect from tomorrow the 10^th August to all nurses (irrespective of the grade) is as follows.

1. Once the result of the INR is issued, all nurses are to phone the doctor on call to come to the ward to adjust the dose of the Warfarin.
2. This is to be documented into the nursing report.
3. In case the doctor does not come to the ward to adjust the dose of the warfarin, all nurses are not to administer any warfarin.
4. This is important to follow since there is a legal aspect. The dose of the warfarin written in the treatment chart does not reflect the latest result issued. So, the protocol is that to administer any warfarin, the doctor has to come to the ward to prescribed on the treatment chart the new dose of warfarin.
5. Nurses are to refrain from going out of their ward for this purpose or sending any carers with the treatment chart to any specified area indicated by the doctor. Doctors like in all hospitals in Malta and Gozo have a duty to come up to the ward and adjust the dose of warfarin.

 

It is important that all nurses adhere to such directive since the treatment carries a huge legal aspect especially when nurses do not adhere to standard protocol listed above

 

Paul Pace

President

MUMN

9^th August 2020