Compounding sterile products during a personal protective equipment shortage.

PURPOSE

To describe our pharmacy department's plan for conservation of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to ensure continued availability of sterile compounded products.

SUMMARY

PPE shortages impacted hospitals throughout the nation in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic response. The PPE requirement for sterile compounding and need to maintain supplies within the pharmacy cleanroom are often overlooked. A sustained supply of PPE is critical to ensure an uninterrupted supply of compounded medications to our patient population. Multiple conservation strategies, including staffing changes, communication, adjustments to training, and even reuse of select PPE, can assist with conservation.

CONCLUSION

PPE in pharmacy cleanrooms is critical for the continued provision of sterile compounds with appropriate beyond-use dates and effective patient care. Pharmacy departments must employ multiple conservation strategies to ensure PPE is available for continued compounding of sterile products, and early planning and implementation of conservation strategies are key.