Healthcare providers are busy. It goes without saying.
That’s why we were so pleased when a group of HCPs from around the country took time out of their days to reach out and share positive feedback on their recent experiences with OnGuard CSTD. Praising it for its attention to quality. For how it’s made their jobs easier, their processes more streamlined, and their workplaces safer. After all, exposure to hazardous drugs is a real danger for nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, and physicians alike. And OnGuard’s technology helps provide that added layer of protection they all need. Something this group of HCPs really appreciated.
Read what three HCPs from around the country said about their recent experiences with OnGuard® CSTD:
Bailey Crandall, PharmD, BCPS, BCPOP – Oncology Pharmacist, VA San Diego
Bailey Crandall certainly has her hands full at VA San Diego, a facility that provides care for more than 86,000 Veterans in southern California.
“We do anywhere from 10 to 20 outpatient chemotherapy infusions per day,” she told us, “And then another handful of inpatient infusions a week.”
With that many patients in need of care and attention, time is of the essence.
Crandall, along with the oncology pharmacy team of pharmacists and technicians, has to be as efficient as possible. Getting patients the medicine they need, right when they need it.
She says OnGuard’s ease of use is what makes all the difference. It allows her team to move quickly and efficiently from one order to the next.
“It really is an easy product to use, especially when you are trying to manipulate things under a hood,” she said.
Crandall and her team also spoke highly of OnGuard’s simplicity, pointing specifically to the limited number of parts and pieces required to operate the CSTD. Which can really be an issue when you’re wearing double gloves.
“What we’ve really liked about OnGuard is the amount of pieces that are required,” she said. “It’s very condensed compared to what we were using before.”
When space is limited in your facility, that can make a big difference.
Plus, with the support B. Braun provides, she and her team never feel like they are alone. They have a partner who’s always on their side, ready to help.
“Overall, we’ve been very happy with the product, very happy with the customer service and the support that we’ve received.”
OnGuard® Syringe Adaptor to Vial Adaptor Connection. (Photo Courtesy of B. Braun Medical Inc.)
Daniel Hernandez, BSPharm, RPh – Oncology Pharmacist, Valley Cancer Associates, Harlingen, TX
Daniel Hernandez has been a pharmacist since 1992.
And he’s been in oncology since 2003.
So he’s seen quite a bit.
Currently an Oncology Pharmacist at Valley Cancer Associates in Harlingen, TX, one of his primary concerns is quality and safety for both healthcare providers and the patients they serve.
That’s why he and his staff use OnGuard for their day-to-day compounding.
“One thing that you always worry about is, is the system secure enough?” he said. “And of course, with the OnGuard click, you know, they know, they get that visceral reaction that they have the syringe attached securely to the tubing.”
Hernandez is referring to OnGuard’s audible safety feature that actually makes a distinct “click” sound when it’s locked and ready to use. So you can feel safer knowing you’re protected from potential exposure to hazardous drug vapors.
It’s a feature the nurses and technicians he works with seem to really love, particularly when you’re trying to move as quickly as possible.
“I know that sounds really easy,” he added, “but it makes a difference. You get that click, and you’re good to go.”
But safety isn’t the only thing they care about when it comes to their CSTD at Valley Cancer Associates.
The product has to be simple to use as well. Especially in an environment like an oncology facility, where there’s no time for fumbling with complicated parts and accessories. Not when there are patients depending on you. And not when you’re working with hazardous drugs.
“You’re going to be a lot more successful at implementing change when what you’re implementing is easy,” he said. “We found that OnGuard was extremely easy to use—both on the nursing side and in the pharmacy side.”
OnGuard® Syringe Adaptor to Luer Lock Connection. (Photo Courtesy of B. Braun Medical Inc.)
Mark Sinn – Registered Nurse, Oregon Oncology Specialists
As a nurse with more than 23 years of experience, Mark Sinn, RN, has worn a lot of hats in his career.
In his current role as a Registered Nurse at Oregon Oncology Specialists, he divides his time in the clinic with patients, managing staff at satellite clinics, and handling a lot of the day-to-day maintenance requirements that come with their medical equipment.
But one of his most crucial roles has to do with the quality and safety of the products his teams are using every day.
“I’m in charge of enforcing the standards at our facility,” he told us.
That’s no small task.
When you’re working with hazardous chemotherapy drugs every day, you’re always thinking about safety—for yourself, for clinicians, and, of course, for patients.
After trying multiple CSTD options over the course of his career, he knew he found the winner when they started using OnGuard.
“OnGuard just seemed to be smaller, more manageable,” he remembers. “And the nurses liked it right away.”
The staff at Oregon Oncology Associates has been using OnGuard ever since.
Because it’s easy to use, and safer than any CSTD they’ve tried.
And that’s what matters most to Sinn.
“I feel very comfortable that by using it, we’re protecting the staff, we’re protecting the other patients,” he said.
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