Key result
The practice of labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications was substandard, with no criteria fully accomplished and the highest compliance being 77.4% for induction agent labeling.
Why the study?
Proper storage, labeling, and usage of narrow therapeutic index anesthetic drugs prevent medication errors, but this practice remained unexplored in the hospital's operating theaters.
Observational
No
The practice of labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications in the studied hospital's operation theaters is substandard, highlighting a critical need for protocols and training to prevent medication errors.
May warrant improved OR labeling protocols; leaves open whether interventions reduce actual error rates.
Background: Anesthetic drugs have a narrow therapeutic index, making proper storage, labeling, and usage essential to prevent medication errors and ensure patient safety. Medication errors in the operating room, particularly with injectable medications, pose a significant risk to patients. Factors such as insufficient labeling, disorganized drug trays, and reliance on factors other than labels for drug identification contribute to an increased likelihood of errors. However, this problem remains unexplored in our hospital operation theaters. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from 1 July 2024 to 30 July 2024. All surgical procedures performed in the main and obstetric operation rooms were included. Data were collected using direct observations and interviews. Data were collected using Kobo Toolbox, exported to Excel, and entered into SPSS version 28 for descriptive analysis. The findings are presented in terms of frequencies and percentages. Results: Out of all the standards designed to assess the practice of labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications in operation theaters, none of the criteria was 100% accomplished. There is the highest accomplishment for the induction agent labeled with 48 (77.4%). Some practices were not implemented at all, including swabbing vial tops to minimize infection risk, securely storing intravenous potassium, flushing the IV cannula to reduce the risk of inadvertent drug administration, and reporting medication incidents and adverse events in departmental meetings. Conclusion: The practice of labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications is substandard in our hospital operation theaters. It is imperative to strengthen the system by developing protocols, providing adequate training, and improving the work environment.
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Aytolign et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Surgical procedures requiring anesthetic medications. Practice of storage, labeling, and usage of anesthetic medications was evaluated on Accomplishment of standards for labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications. The practice of labeling, usage, and storage of anesthetic medications was substandard, with no criteria fully accomplished and the highest compliance being 77.4% for induction agent labeling.
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