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Please note: You will only do this procedure if instructed to do so by your care provider. If you are a Dana-Farber patient and need assistance after hours or on weekends, an InfuSystem nurse is available at 800-315-3287. 

Equipment

1. Wash hands and gather supplies. Put on purple gloves.
2. Turn off pump (push and hold ON/OFF button until three sets of dashes appear) and clamp pump tubing.
3. Open saline and heparin packets.
4. Open alcohol prep pad. Unscrew pump tubing (clear connector) from blue cap on portacath needle. Place end of clear tubing in open alcohol prep pad (to prevent droplets of chemotherapy from spilling).
5. Open alcohol prep pad and wipe end of blue cap on portacath needle tubing.
6. Remove white cap from tip of saline syringe. (Be careful not to touch tip of syringe. Holding syringe with tip up gently push out any air bubbles)
7. Push tip of syringe firmly into blue cap and twist clockwise to secure.
8. Push gently to instill 10 cc's of saline. (If resistance is felt, DO NOT continue. CALL NURSE.) Nights/Weekends contact InfuSystem at 800-315-3287 to speak with a nurse.
9. When instillation is complete, remove syringe.
10. Prepare heparin (blue cap) syringe in the same manner. Connect heparin syringe and instill heparin (5 cc). Clamp needle tubing then remove syringe.
11. Remove clear dressing around portacath needle.
12. Remove portacath needle by supporting the base with one hand and pulling on the clear lever until you hear a "click." Apply gauze to portacath site. Place portacath needle in red sharps container.
13. Remove bag or cassette from pump (to remove the bag or cassette from pump insert a penny into the locking nut on the side of the pump and turn counter clockwise).
14. Place bag or cassette with tubing in the red sharps container.
15. Mail pump back to InfuSystem in Express Mail Pouch.

For help, call the following phone numbers depending on where you receive outpatient care:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Your Physician (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.): 617-632-3779 

Your Nurse (7 a.m. – 8 p.m., Mon.– Thurs., 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Fri.):

• Dana 1: 617-632-3830 
• Dana 10: 617-632-6060 

*At any other time (nights, weekends, and holidays):

InfuSystem Nurse: 800-315-3287 

Home chemo spill kit instructions

There is a small chance that your home chemotherapy infusion could develop a leak resulting in spilled chemotherapy. For example, this could happen from a loose connection, if the tubing is damaged, or if the Huber needle falls out from your port.

If you should get chemotherapy on your skin, wash the area immediately with soap and water. Clothing or contaminated bed linens should be washed separately from the regular laundry in hot water with detergent.

Keep your Chemobloc Spill Kit where you or your family member can easily find it if needed. Exposure to chemotherapy can be harmful to anyone exposed. Follow Chemobloc Spill Kit according to the directions. If you do have a chemotherapy spill that needs to be cleaned up, you will need paper towels. Follow the directions inside to dispose of paper towels or cloths you may of used. Use the yellow waste bag.

You can bring the sealed, used materials back to the clinic for disposal if you do not have a home care company who will remove it.