Injection Delivery Activities

The delivery of the injection focuses on three specific best practices. First, after the patient arrives in the pharmacy or after the order is received, and if an in-pharmacy behavioral health consultation occurred, the necessary supplies associated with providing the injection are obtained, such as gloves, bandages, alcohol swabs, gauze, and sharps disposal container. Second, actual delivery of the injection starts when the pharmacist is aware of the appointment or the need to provide the injection. The medication must be removed from the refrigerator* to allow it to warm to room temperature. Once that occurs, the pharmacist will mix and draw the injection and then administer it to the client. As part of that process, the pharmacist will typically document where on the body the injection was provided. The last step is the process is to monitor the patient to ensure that they do not have an adverse drug reaction.

*Note: Although providing naltrexone injections is like providing other injections in the community pharmacy, a longer preparation time is required for the medication to reach room temperature, which may change existing workflows.