Injectable medications must be precisely dosed, but errors often arise when syringes are mislabeled or switched between medications.
Syringe labels must be placed directly beneath the graduations on the barrel to prevent covering or interfering with their use, and covering gradations could increase medication dosing errors and potentially result in patient harm. Even with autoinjectors like from the Noble company, you can make mistakes.
1. Not Labeling
Syringes are a popular method for dispensing medications, so it is crucial that they are correctly labeled to reduce any risk of medication errors.
Medication labels must be placed directly beneath the graduations on the syringe barrel in order to remain easily visible during administration, and should also be clear and legible.
Labels should also be made from material that accepts marking with pen or markers to allow medical staff to add additional notes or warnings as needed. Any unlabeled syringe should be promptly discarded as this simple measure can drastically decrease medication errors while improving overall patient safety.
2. Not Using the Right Syringe
Syringe selection is crucial for healthcare professionals or anyone giving themselves shots. Syringes come in various designs but all feature three main components: barrel, needle that stores medication, and plunger.
Syringe sizes vary according to how much liquid they can hold – measured either in milliliters or cubic centimeters (cc). Make sure your chosen syringe can deliver your medication accurately and in an effective way.
Make sure the syringe you select is sterile; using an infected needle could expose you to Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, or HIV infections. Use only new syringes each time.
3. Not Using the Right Medication
Liquid medications require extra caution when administered orally. Unfortunately, several outbreaks have been linked to healthcare workers using one needle and syringe to access multiple multi-dose vials and combine their contents into a single syringe – leading to mistakes and even outbreaks of illness as a result.
Healthcare staff may draw up an inappropriate dose from a multi-dose vial that contains prefilled saline syringes instead of antibiotics as prescribed.
Dosing medications to children can be particularly hazardous since household spoons vary in size and dosing tools with standard markings like oral syringes are much safer. Before drawing up your dose, ensure the tip of your oral syringe is in the medication and tap to move any air bubbles toward its top before drawing up your dose.
4. Not Using the Right Injection Site
Many injectable medications are dispensed in ready-to-use syringes for patient self-administration at home, and labeling these syringes with relevant information is crucial in helping guide this process.
Select an injection site, clean it using an alcohol swab (unless otherwise instructed), open up your vial, and insert the needle.
Slowly draw medicine up using a syringe while tapping it to release air bubbles to the top. If your medication appears foamy, discolored, or cloudy it should not be consumed and should be discarded immediately. Also if blood begins entering your syringe immediately remove the needle and put the entire device into an appropriate sharps container for disposal.
5. Not Using the Right Technique
Syringes are used for administering injections and withdrawing fluids, typically found in research labs, physicians’ offices, pharmacies, hospitals, dental clinics, and veterinary facilities. People living with chronic health conditions like diabetes frequently utilize them as part of their medical treatment plan.
according to a new study, four out of five parents administer their children the incorrect dosage of liquid medications, an error which may be avoided by using oral syringes instead of dosing cups included with some drugs. Mistakes occur due to distraction, inattention, poor communication, and haste; excessive force used when withdrawing or inserting needles increases the risk of cracking the barrel or the plunger breaking off of the syringe barrel and the plunger being lost from the device.