ABSTRACT
Wrong route medication errors due to tubing misconnections can lead to serious adverse events, especially when they concern the neuraxial and perineural routes. It has been favoured by the use of the universal Luer connector for medical devices with a risk of confusion with the intravenous route. The prevention of these errors is based on passive measures such as using specific small-bore connectors, and active measures such as reading Specific labelling which must be systematically affixed to the routes. NRFit connectors are a type of small-bore connector specifically intended for neuraxial and perineural applications. They are based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 80369-6. They are physically incompatible with other small-bore connectors, like the Luer connectors used for intra-venous and enteral medication administration, and thus help prevent inadvertent misconnections. While some countries have already implemented this standard, France is behind schedule in implementing the NRFit connectors due to the absence of strong recommendations or obligations from the authorities. However, NRFit connectors represents real progress for the prevention of medication errors.
Subject(s)
Medication Errors , Humans , Equipment Design , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Pharmaceutical Preparations , Infusions, Intravenous , Reference StandardsABSTRACT
Justification for prevention of parietal infection in abdominal surgery was evaluated by a retrospective study of 1100 patients operated upon between 1981 and 1984. Rate of infection in class I was 0.5% and in class IV 8%. Comparison of costs of prevention, and of treatment of declared infection, demonstrated a sum of 280 French francs per case, this representing the allowed outlay in this field. Preventive measures should continue to be applied, this type of expenditure being perfectly justified by the economy obtained through shortening of hospital stay and the inestimable improvement in patients' comfort.
