Chemotherapeutic agents are a high alert medication category at Glen Cove Hospital. Specific policy governing the preparation, dispensing, and administration of chemotherapeutic agents includes:

• Verbal or telephone orders are not accepted for chemotherapeutic medications.
• All orders must be written by an oncologist on a specific Oncology Order Sheet. Exception: methotrexate may be ordered by any prescriber on a regular order sheet for a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
• All orders require a double signature by two pharmacists before compounded preparations can leave the pharmacy for delivery to a patient care area.
• All chemotherapeutic agents are segregated from other pharmacy inventory and clearly labeled as a high alert medication category.

To provide additional accuracy and safety, outpatient oncology together with the pharmacy prepared specific guidelines and recommendations in the preparation, dispensing, and administration of chemotherapeutic agents. These guidelines were approved by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and medical board and are available in the pharmacy, in the Don Monti Oncology Center, and in the “Pharmacy Drug Protocols” folder available on desktop computers throughout the hospital.