Study: Use of self-filled vs prefilled syringes during anesthesia

Editor's Note

In this work system analysis, the inclusion of prefilled syringes into medication delivery by anesthesia providers simplified work processes and reduced the number and associated risks of system vulnerabilities.

Eight system vulnerabilities were found in the prefilled syringe system versus 21 in the self-filled syringe system.

An example of a system vulnerability with high risk in the self-filled syringe system was when an anesthesia provider needed to draw up medication during surgery while completing other requests simultaneously. This added cognitive complexity that did not exist in the prefilled syringe system.