Bridging the gap: the Virtual Chemotherapy Unit.

Due to the complexity of pediatric chemotherapy administration, systems promoting safety must be utilized. Computerized order entry has been proven to reduce errors in the ordering of chemotherapeutic agents. A task force (the Breakthrough Committee) at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) evaluated systems and identified the need to streamline the chemotherapy admission process from the outpatient clinic to the inpatient unit. In the outpatient setting chemotherapy orders were handwritten, whereas inpatient orders were computerized. Patients due for chemotherapy admissions were unable to start chemotherapy until they were physically admitted to an inpatient bed. In many cases, patients would not start receiving chemotherapy until late in the evening or even overnight. The Breakthrough Committee created the Virtual Chemotherapy Unit (Virtual Unit), which standardizes the ordering and documentation for all chemotherapy admissions. As per its name, the Virtual Unit is not an actual hospital unit but merely a location in the computer system where the patient is admitted prior to having a bed on the inpatient unit. Patients are now able to start chemotherapy infusions in the outpatient setting early in the day, rather than waiting until arrival to the inpatient unit. The nurses in the outpatient clinic are able to document chemotherapy administration online, giving the inpatient staff the ability to view the medications that were given. The Virtual Unit bridges the gap in chemotherapy ordering and documentation by utilizing 1 online episode per patient admission. Oncology nurses at CHOP played a fundamental role in the creation of the Virtual Unit. Nurses identified situations with potential for error in the ordering and administration of chemotherapy. These scenarios were analyzed and used in creating a safer system.