Your syringe driver explained.pdf - St Elizabeth Hospice

Your syringedriver explainedWhat is a syringe driver?A syringe driver is a battery powered machine which is made up of three parts:• The machine itself looks like the picture below• Attached to that is a syringe, with the drugs drawn up in it• Attached to the syringe is a thin piece of tubing with a very thin needle on the end.The needle goes just under the skin, e.g.: on your chest, your tummy orthe top of your arm or leg. The needle is held in place with tape. Usuallythe needle can stay in one place for several days, but if it gets sore oruncomfortable, ask your nurse to move it to another place.Am I getting worse?This machine is designed to give you your medicines over 24 hours, so each day your nurse will come aboutthe same time to fill up a new syringe and check the machine.You may have felt worried when your doctor or nurse suggested using the syringe driver. It does not meanthat you are getting worse. There are three reasons why the syringe driver is used — not all of thesereasons will apply to you:• Often it is used when you cannot take pills due to sickness and difficulty swallowing• It may be used whilst the doctor is finding the correct dose of drug for your particular symptoms• It is used to avoid having to give injections frequently, because they can be painful and uncomfortable.What if I think the machine is not working?If you think there is something wrong with the syringe driver, or if the alarm sounds—don’t panic—followthese instructions one by one:1. Check that the light, on the right hand side is flashing. If it is then go on to 2. If it is not then changethe battery and then press the ‘start/ boost’ button. The light should begin to flash again2. If the alarm is sounding, take out the battery as that is the only way to stop the noise3. Then check if there is a kink in the tube and if necessaryuntwist it or if the syringe is disconnected from the machine,attach it again with the black strap. Replace the battery andpress the ‘start’ button4. If the syringe is empty or the needle has come out, or if theneedle site is swollen then contact your District Nurse, orout of hours, contact the Hospice for advice.Will I need to change my lifestyle?Hopefully not. We hope that the machine will make your life more comfortable and therefore, you can be asactive as you want to be.• You can have a bath. Try to keep the needle site dry and keep the machine out of the water by putting iton a stool beside the bath• You can eat what you feel you want to eat, and a little alcohol will not do you any harm.St Elizabeth Hospice565 Foxhall Road Ipswich IP3 8LXt 01473 727776e enquiries@stelizabethhospice.org.ukw www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk

• You can go shopping or out in a crowd, if you want to. No one will be able to hear the machine.• You can be taken out in a car, but you should ask your doctor before driving yourself.• You can work in the garden, if you want to.• You do not need special clothes as the syringe driver has a holster to hold it.What do I need to know about the machine?The syringe driver is a very reliable machine. Here are helpful hints to lessen your worry:1. It is normal for the syringe driver to make a whirring noise every few minutes. It will not be loudenough for anyone to hear or to keep you awake at night2. It is normal for a little yellow light to flash on the right hand side of the machine. If it stops, the batteryneeds charging—(so it is a good idea to keep a spare one)—a Duracell PP3 will last for 50 days3. The machine has an alarm—a constant piercing sound. If it goes off, don’t panic. It will sound if thesyringe is empty or if there is a blockage in the tubing. The only way to silence the alarm is to take thebattery out4. It is a good idea to get into the habit of checking that the light is flashing and the whirring sound iscoming from the machine. Do not worry about checking it overnightWill I have it forever?No, you will not necessarily have the syringe driver for ever. You may only need to have it for a few days orweeks until all your medicines have been adjusted to the best dose for you. As soon as it is possible, thedoctor will prescribe tablets, but that may be done gradually, over a few days.If you are worried, or have any more questions about your syringe driver, contact either your doctoror nurse.St Elizabeth Hospice565 Foxhall Road Ipswich IP3 8LXt 01473 727776e enquiries@stelizabethhospice.org.ukw www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk