[NPInfo] Reusing syringes with multi-dose vials

[Mary K. Beck]

Hi Lists,

Have you heard about the problems at a number of Las Vegas endoscopy
centers? Apparently it was common practice at these centers for
anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists to withdraw medication from a
multi-use vial, inject the med into an IV line (where small amounts of a
patient's blood could backflow and contaminate the needle/syringe), then
remove and discard the needle. But then they'd put a new sterile needle on
the same syringe and withdraw medicine from a multi-use vial to give to the
patient. The multi-use vials of medications were then contaminated with the
blood of patients, and this was passed on to other patients who received
medication from the vials. This only surfaced when six patients tested
positive for Hepatitis C, and public health authorities traced it back to
the endoscopy centers. 

 

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i8B3EkgPbRHRxqB6l6BG6ZL1bn9QD8V90TAG0

 

Editorial: http://www.lvrj.com/news/16174527.html

 

This seems like very shoddy practice to me. People are angry and worried.
Some 40,000 patients in Nevada have to be tested for Hepatitis B, C and HIV.
How common is this practice? As a potential patient this practice worries me
(a lot). As a medical professional in Wisconsin who is working on
legislation to de-criminalize medical errors, I see this as a major setback.


 

What do you make of this?

 

Mary Beck, NP

Lake Mills, WI