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Keywords
medical observation unit, obeservation
Disciplines
Nursing
Description
MOU is a medical observation unit. On a given day the nurses on this floor take care of general medical patients needing to be observed longer or needing more labs, imaging or procedures completed prior to the physician deciding whether to discharge the patient home or transferring the patient up to an inpatient room. A year ago, MOU was called to help out this specialized oncology population as they’re care requires 24 to 48 hours monitoring after receiving an immunotherapy called Bi-specific T-Cell Engager (BiTE) therapy. BiTE therapy helps attack cancer cells within the body by uses the body’s own immune response to initiate the T-cells to attack the cancer cell prompting more T-cells to initiate the same response on the cancer cells. The FDA has approved seven different therapeutics, under the BiTE therapy umbrella (Pancholi, 2023). These therapeutics are typically the patient’s last line of treatment after receiving 3-4 differing oncology therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation and other immunotherapies.
There are side effects to monitor for, when a patient has received BiTE therapy. Some of the main risk factors are Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity and infection. All of which can happen within hours to a few days after the therapy has been administered to the patient. Patient’s must receive the medication, administered subcutaneous or intravenously, at a certified REMs facility. Once the medication is administered the patient must be observed for 24-48 hours depended on which medication was chosen for the patient. CRS and neurotoxicity can be treated with steroids, IV fluids and a reversal agent called Tocilizumab. Without the patient coming to a controlled environment like the hospital for observation post treatment CRS, neurotoxicity and infection could spiral quickly causing permanent neurological issues to death. Making it vital to observe these patients in MOU.
Publication Date
5-6-2024
Recommended Citation
McWhirter L, Hegerberg S. Bi-specific t-cell engager (BiTE) therapy in the medical observation unit (MOU). Presented at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital; 2024 May 6-12; Royal Oak, MI.
Comments
Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2024.