Hospice

Working with hospice patients can be challenging, however the skills of a compounding pharmacist can prove invaluable in effectively treating a patient's individual needs. A creative approach to medication administration and broadening the boundaries of treatment guidelines is required. The most common issues with hospice care are pain control, nausea / vomiting management, bowel function, maintaining an alert mind, intact skin and preventing shortness of breath. Dosage forms commonly utilized by hospice care are capsules, suspensions, transdermals, suppositories, troches (lozenges) and sterile injectables.

Pain (capsules, suspensions, troches)

• Hydrocodone
• Oxycodone
• Morphine Sulfate
• Fentanyl
• Lidocaine
• Methadone
• Ibuprofen
• Clonidine
• Baclofen
• Meperidine
• Acetaminophen
• Gabapentin
• Morphine Sulfate Suppositories
• Hydrocodone SR Capsules
• Fentanyl 100 mg / Promethazine HCl 12.5 mg / 0.1 mL in PLO transdermal Gel
• Magic Mouthwash (Benadryl / Lidocaine / Nystatin / Maalox) (oral burns)

Nausea / Vomiting (troches, suspensions, suppositories)

• Dexamethasone
• Haloperidol
• Diphenhydramine
• Promethazine
• Scopolamine
• Metoclopramide
• Prochlorperazine
• Lorazepam
• ABHRD (Suspension / Suppository / PLO) (Lorazepam, Diphenhydramine, Haloperidol, Metoclopramide, Dexamethasone)
• Scopolamine 0.25 mg / 0.1 mL in PLO transdermal Gel

Skin Care

• Buttock’s Ointment
• Nifedipine 0.8% Gel (wounds)
• Phenytoin 10 gm Powder insufflator (wounds)
• Lubriderm w/ Menthol 0.25% and Phenol 0.25%
• Carmol-10 w/ Menthol and Phenol
• Decubitus Ulcer Gel – Lidocaine 5% / Misoprostal 0.0024% / Phenytoin 15% / Nifedipine 8%