St Barnabas Hospices (Sussex) Ltd
MCKINLEY T34 SYRINGE DRIVERS
Tips for Home Use
PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET
What is a syringe driver?
A syringe driver is a portable, battery-powered machine that delivers drugs through a needle,
placed just under the skin. It can be easily held in one hand and is pocket sized.
The system is made up of three parts:
1. The machine itself.
2. A syringe, attached to the machine, which has your drugs in it.
3. Attached to the syringe is a long thin piece of tubing with a very small needle on the end.
How will the syringe driver help me?
Often it is used when you cannot take drugs by mouth, due to difficulty in swallowing or sickness.
The pump gives you the medicines you need in a different way and means that you do not need a
lot of injections.
When symptoms such as nausea/vomiting and pain are under control, your tablets may be
restarted. The syringe driver can then be discontinued.
Giving your drugs via a syringe driver
The nurse will place the needle just under the skin, either on your chest, your tummy or on the top
of your arm or leg. This will feel like having a small injection. The needle is held in place with a
small, clear dressing, so that the site can be checked. Usually, the needle can stay in one place
for several days. If it gets sore or uncomfortable, the nurse will insert a new one in another place.
Managing my syringe driver at home
The machine is designed to give you your drugs over 24 hours. Each day the District Nurse will
come to check how you are, they will fill up a new syringe and check the machine. The District
Nurse will also check that you have enough drugs for the syringe driver.
It would be helpful if you could provide somewhere where the spare equipment and medications
could be stored, e.g. a shoe box. You will also be given a small yellow ‘sharps’ box, so that used
syringes can be disposed of safely. The District Nurse will advise you who will collect the sharps
from your home.
w.\group information\policies\clinical\patient & family information leaflets\stb patient information leaflets\mckinley t34
syringe drivers (tips for home use)
Originator: Ward Sister
Last Review:
July 2012
Approval Date: February 2006
Next Review:
July 2014
1
Will I need to alter my lifestyle?
No, you won’t. You may perhaps find the following tips useful to ensure that the syringe driver
causes you the least inconvenience.
Bathing/Showering
Try to keep the needle site dry, if possible. Keep the machine away from the water by putting it on
a stool beside the bath/shower. If the syringe driver gets wet, it will no longer work. You may find
that you need to have someone with you whilst bathing/showering.
Clothes
You may dress as normal. You don’t need any special clothing. The syringe driver fits into a
holster, which can be worn over the shoulder or around the waist. The syringe driver may also fit
into a dressing gown/jacket pocket. You should not let the syringe be exposed to direct sunlight.
Eating
You can eat and drink whatever you like. A small amount of alcohol will do you no harm.
Going out
You can go out and about with the syringe driver.
medicines in the pump will affect your driving.
If you drive, you should ask the nurse if the
Other Equipment
You should not put the pump near anything hot, like a heat pad, electric blanket or hot water bottle.
Try to keep mobile phones that are switched on about an arm’s length away, as they may affect
the way the pump works.
What do I need to know about the syringe driver?
The light above the ON/OFF button flashes every 64 seconds. If it turns red, there is a problem
with the pump and you should contact your District Nurse as soon as possible.
Your nurse will discuss with you what to do if the alarm sounds.
If any of the following happen you must let the District Nurse know as soon as possible:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
The pump gets wet
The pump is dropped
The colour of the medicines in the tubing or syringe has changed
The skin around the needle is red, swollen or sore
Liquid leaks where the needle goes into the skin
The needle falls out
The tubing is not connected to the syringe
The syringe is empty
The alarms sounds
Useful contact numbers



District Nurse
Out of Hours Service
Hospice (St Barnabas House) 01903 706300
w.\group information\policies\clinical\patient & family information leaflets\stb patient information leaflets\mckinley t34
syringe drivers (tips for home use)
Originator: Ward Sister
Last Review:
July 2012
Approval Date: February 2006
Next Review:
July 2014
2