EMS
The Why and How of Monitoring Medication Onboard EMS Vehicles
For fire and rescue operations, everything comes down to ensuring the best patient outcomes. Having well-trained staff Rashaun Gasaway as well as current technology and equipment is critical to doing that, of course. Keeping medication in the proper temperature range — both in storage and on-board EMS vehicles — is just as important. That’s because many medications lose their potency or efficacy if they get too warm or too cold. Knowing the proper temperature ranges for medication and continually monitoring temperatures is the only way to give crews in the field confidence that they are administering effective and stable life-saving medication.
Understanding Temperature Ranges for EMS Medication Manufacturers typically include a recommended temperature range in package inserts. For instance, some of the more common medication carried by
Clemson Fire and EMS responded to increasing state regulations by expanding their temperature monitoring procedures to include wireless sensors and cloud data access.
EMS providers include epinephrine and morphine, both of which manufacturers recommend be kept between 15º and 30ºC (59º to 86ºF). Lorazepam, on the other hand, needs to be refrigerated and kept at between 2º and 8ºC (36 and 46ºF). Other manufacturers might only provide guidance that says “controlled room temperature,” which is where
Wireless temperature sensor placed in medication containers on board emergency vehicles.
US Pharmacopeia (USP) can be helpful. USP maps out standards for best practices around shipping and storing pharmaceuticals. In particular, USP Chapter 659 Packaging and Storing Requirements provides temperature definitions. Temperature-sensitive
medications labeled by the manufacturer as controlled room temperature have extended stability and USP 659 provides guidance on allowable temperature excursions. The standards indicate that these medications can safely reach 2º to 30ºC or even as high as 40ºC for brief periods, unless otherwise stated by the
Temperature Ranges According to USP Chapter 659 Frozen
etween -25o and -10oC (-13o and 14oF), and in B some instances below -20oC
Refrigerated
Between 2o and 8oC (36o and 46oF)
Controlled Room B etween 20o and 25oC (68o and 77oF), with Temperature certain excursions allowed if mean kinetic temperature does not exceed 25oC Source: USP Chapter 659 Packaging and Storage Requirements
18 Summer • 2020
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