Caring For the Patient

Once the MIBG infusion begins, the primary caregiver at home becomes the primary caregiver in the hospital. You will provide much of the day-to-day care as described below, but the nursing staff and the rest of the medical team are there to help if you need them. Your nurse will provide all medical care although their time in the room will be limited to minimize radiation exposure.

• The nurse will enter to take vital signs and to empty the urine collection bag throughout the day.
• The nurse will also administer all IV meds.
• The attending physician, fellow, and/or nurse practitioner will examine the patient every day.

Safety training

Before you take on any of these responsibilities, you’ll complete Environmental Health and Radiation Safety Training. Only trained caregivers may provide care during treatment. To limit exposure, only one caregiver can stay in the room at a time. We recommend that two caregivers be available during the hospital stay and that they take turns being in the MIBG treatment room with the patient.

Emptying catheter collection bag

A catheter will be used to drain urine from the bladder to reduce the radiation exposure to the bladder. The collection bag is stored in the yellow lead box next to the bed, and a nurse will empty this every four hours.