To ensure patient safety the nurses require a quiet area to count medication for each syringe driver.
What is a syringe driver?
A syringe driver is a battery powered syringe pump. It is made to be small enough to be carried by you.
- attached to the driver will be a syringe with your medicine. Although most medicines are not licensed to be administered via a syringe driver, healthcare professionals have a lot of experience and evidence that administration of medicines via a syringe driver is very safe
- the medicine travels down a fine tube through a cannula (small tube) placed just under your skin a
clear dressing holds your cannula in place - the syringe normally only needs to be filled every 24 hours by your community nurse, however there
may be times when this needs to be done more often
Why do I need a syringe driver?
Your doctor and nurse will have talked to you about why you need a syringe driver for your medicines:
- to help with your symptoms
- to avoid the need for frequent injections, (the cannula itself only needs to be changed every
seven days) - if you are feeling sick you may not be able to take all the medications you need by mouth
- it may also be used to manage symptoms before a return to tablets
Single / multiple syringe drivers
If you have one or more syringe drivers, each syringe driver will be colour coded with an identifiable
coloured label:
- Syringe driver – Green coloured label
- Syringe driver – Yellow coloured label
- Syringe driver – Blue coloured label
- Syringe driver – White label
You may have more than one driver due to
- the volume of fluid required with the medication
- some medication cannot be mixed with others
An Envopak will contain prescribed medication for your syringe driver(s).
Each syringe driver will have its own set of syringe driver documentation.
Ring your nurse if any of these things occur
- if your symptoms are not managed
- if the cannula or site is painful, red or swollen or if the cannula comes out
- if the medicine appears to have been given too quickly or too slowly
- if the light stops flashing
- if the plunger in the syringe has not moved
- if you hear the alarm sound. The alarm will sound 15-30 minutes prior to the end of the infusion or if
battery is low
DO
- eat and drink as you like
- keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children or animals and in a safe place
- protect the syringe driver from heat, direct sunlight, cold or getting wet
DO NOT
- take a shower or bath with the syringe driver in place as it will break
If the syringe driver is dropped or falls in water, please contact your nurse straight away as they will need to bring you a new syringe driver.
Out of Hours
If you need assistance at night, weekends, or Bank Holidays, 5.00pm – 8.30am.
Please call the Community Night Nursing Service, Tel. 0151 514 2222, select option 5.
- if you are taking antibiotics, your treatment will be reviewed and may be stopped or a different
antibiotic may be prescribed
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