The Infusion Team

The Infusion Team became aware of a potential disruption in care involving the home care company responsible for managing 5FU elastomeric pump infusions for our Veterans. Recognizing the significant impact this could have on timely cancer treatment, Laurie Fegley, Surgery Nurse Manager, contacted the agency to verify the information. Once the discontinuation was confirmed and a tentative timeline was provided, Laurie escalated the issue to clinical leadership, including Jessica Caruso and Kyle Hacker, to determine whether the VA could assume this service for our Syracuse Veterans.
Through collaborative inquiry, the team learned that several other VA facilities were already providing this treatment in-house. With leadership approval to move forward, the Infusion Team began intensive preparation, fully aware that the timeline to operationalize this service before the external discontinuation date was extremely short.
A significant amount of foundational work was required within Pharmacy, including staff training on elastomeric pump use, procurement of equipment, and development of new workflows. This work was met with enthusiasm, teamwork, and a shared sense of urgency to protect Veteran access to uninterrupted cancer care.
Three Infusion Nurses—Sara Thiele, RN (Lead), Melissa Whorley, RN, and Christy Kingsley, RN—were identified early to champion the project. Without hesitation, they accepted the responsibility and immediately began coordinating the many clinical, operational, and educational components necessary for safe, successful implementation. Their efforts exemplified Advocacy and Excellence as they worked to ensure that no Veteran experienced a delay in treatment or was forced to seek care in the community due to this sudden change.
This team collaborated extensively with Pharmacy, Oncology, and the Emergency Department to build a comprehensive, Veteran-centered process. They:
• Researched product specifications for elastomeric pumps and developed corresponding staff and patient education.
• Created and delivered multidisciplinary education, including hands-on teaching for ED nursing staff to prepare them to support after-hours infusion concerns.
• Designed a complete home-use kit for Veterans, including clearly written instructions and a business card listing essential contact information for any issues arising outside clinic hours.
• Ensured every step of the workflow upheld safety, clarity, and continuity of care for our patients.
In the Spring of 2026, the team successfully launched the new program. The first Veteran completed their infusion at home exactly as planned, with no complications or need for intervention. Because of this team’s foresight, communication, and relentless focus on Veteran-centered care, our patients experienced no lapses, delays, or diversion to community care during this transition.
This project is an outstanding example of the I CARE values in action.
The team demonstrated:
• Integrity through transparency, early verification, and honest communication.
• Commitment by embracing a challenging timeline to protect access to essential cancer treatment.
• Advocacy by ensuring Veterans continued to receive treatment without interruption.
• Respect through thoughtful patient education, interdisciplinary engagement, and trauma-informed planning.
• Excellence by developing and executing a complex program that now serves as a model for others.
The entire team exceeded expectations at every stage. Their teamwork, dedication, and unwavering focus on the needs of our Veterans make them truly deserve the DAISY Team Award.
Sara, Melissa, Christy, and all the pharmacy staff did an AMAZING job!!
A special thank you to Nursing Leadership, Jessica Caruso and Shannon Welling, for your support of this project!