Practical considerations and steps to aid patients on intravenous, subcutaneous, inhaled or oral therapies
| Mode of administration | Practical considerations and steps |
| Intravenous | Provide practice equipment/pumps prior to linking infusion |
| Provide an introduction/education on the i.v. delivery system, the need for a central venous catheter and the up-titration procedure | |
| Patient participation in infusion preparation | |
| Patient education for managing medication at home and care of i.v. line and sterility | |
| Provide patients with a well-defined care plan on hospital discharge, including management of side-effects | |
| Provide advice on what to do in case of pump malfunction or a compromised i.v. line | |
| Provide advice on practical matters on living with an i.v. line (e.g. showering) | |
| Inform local emergency services about the patient's medication in case the patient needs to be seen urgently | |
| Use of thermostable epoprostenol [48] | |
| Subcutaneous | Dry siting of the infusion cannula [49] |
| Flexibility about when the site is changed [49] | |
| Analgesics [39] | |
| Patient education on what to do in case of infusion system malfunction, and the need to carry spare equipment and drug | |
| Inhaled | Educate patients on how to use and look after the devices |
| Written materials including brochures and tools to aid compliance | |
| Medication reminders through alarms or apps on smartphones | |
| InSight training devices to reinforce effective breathing patterns and check adherence [50] | |
| Ensure that the patient understands the basic function of the medication, the importance of regular dosing and what to do if a dose is late or missed | |
| Oral | Support for management of their side-effects |
| Support and tools to aid compliance | |
| Medication reminders through alarms or apps on smartphones | |
| Ensure that the patient understands the basic function of the medication, the importance of regular dosing and what to do if a dose is late or missed | |
| All routes | Education on the up-titration process |
| Patient associations/support groups | |
| Written materials, DVDs and online information |