An audit of syringe labelling practices of anaesthetists at four academic hospitals

Abstract

Background Drug administration errors have seen a marked rise in the medical fraternity. In anaesthesia these are expected to be higher as for any anaesthetic given, multiple drugs are administered. Although many risk factors have been identified as causes of medication errors, in anaesthesia in particular, syringe labelling has been identified as an easily preventable source of medication error. Methodology The aim of this study was to audit the syringe labelling practices of anaesthetists in four academic hospitals affiliated to the University of the Witwatersrand. The research design used to conduct the study was a prospective, contextual and descriptive one. The study population was all syringes prepared for anaesthesia during the course of the data collection days at the four academic hospitals. A consecutive convenience sampling method was used to collect the data Results A total of 279 syringes were included in the study. Of the 279 syringes, 242 (87%) were labelled. Six (2%) of the 242 labels were colour coded. A total of 37 (13%) syringes had no labelling at all. All labelled syringes had the name of the medication present, either in full or abbreviated. Two hundred and nine (86%) of the labelled syringes had the dose and/or concentration of the medication. Fifteen (6%) of syringes had date, 6(2%) had time. A total of six (2%) syringes had a signature of the person who prepared the drug and one (0.4%) had a signature of the person that checked the drug. The majority 193 (69%) of syringes had only two out of the six required labelling items. Conclusion This study revealed that syringe labelling practices of anaesthetists in the four academic hospitals associated with Wits did not meet the recommended standards. It is recommended that a standard operating procedure for syringe labelling be introduced as studies have shown that syringe labelling is an easy way of preventing and/or reducing medication error.