Advancing Intravenous Therapy Management: Pharmacist Strategies to Optimize Safety, Efficiency, and Workflow During Intravenous Fluid Shortages

Program Description

Recent disruptions to the US intravenous (IV) fluid supply, driven by manufacturing interruptions, natural disasters, and supply chain constraints, have forced health systems to adopt alternative administration strategies, such as IV push, to conserve limited resources. While IV push can reduce fluid use and expedite therapy, it introduces significant complexities in preparation, labeling, and patient monitoring that increase the risk of medication errors and compromise operational efficiency. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to lead Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee decisions and guide protocols during periods of operational strain. Despite their central role, many pharmacists have limited experience with implementation and the clinical application of ready-to-use (RTU) and ready-to-administer (RTA) products. This article aims to cover how standardizing practices may strengthen pharmacists' understanding of fluid stewardship principles and IV push protocols within health systems. By providing practical, guideline-aligned strategies, pharmacists will be equipped to evaluate when IV push is clinically appropriate versus when infusion-based methods or RTU and RTA products are safer and more efficient. Key points shared within the article will prepare pharmacists to effectively counsel clinical teams, reduce practice variability, and optimize care with IV fluids during times of constrained resources.

Target audience: Health-system pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: July 31, 2026
Expiration date: July 31, 2027
Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate
Time to complete activity: 2.0 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe the burden of drug shortages and operational challenges in health systems
• Use medication safety data and operational considerations to determine when intravenous (IV) push or infusion-based administration is appropriate during IV fluid shortages
• Identify opportunities to enhance medication safety through appropriate use of ready-to-administer (RTA) and ready-to-use (RTU) products
• Apply best practices to support formulary and workflow decisions involving RTA and RTU products during IV fluid shortages to improve efficiency, address staffing constraints, and maintain regulatory compliance

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 2.0 contact hours (0.20 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-26-248-H05-P. The activity is available for CE credit through July 31, 2027.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

The following contributors have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:

Faculty

Samuel Eberwein, PharmD, MS

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Rose Buszka, PharmD, BCPS, CHCP; Emily Tyler, MHA, PMP; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta 

Pharmacy Times® Editorial Staff— Aislinn Antrim

Any relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

At least one anonymous peer reviewer was used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer

Continuing professional education activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved by the labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

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