Simple Step Add-in to Improve Patient Safety: A Technical Note.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare safety
• Human factors in surgery
• Medical device usability

Background:

• Surgical performance is influenced by human and systems factors within the operating room (OR).
• Patient safety focuses on preventing medical errors and adverse events.
• Embossed lettering on some ampoules presents a readability challenge, particularly in sterile OR environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a potential error source in surgical settings related to ampoule identification.
• To propose a simple, practical solution to improve the differentiation of plastic, embossed ampoules.
• To enhance patient safety and healthcare professional security in the operating room.

Main Methods:

• A novel, simple step was developed to aid in distinguishing between plastic, embossed ampoules.
• The method focuses on improving the visual identification of ampoule contents.

Main Results:

• The proposed step facilitates accurate and correct identification of ampoules.
• This simple intervention does not compromise sterile conditions in the OR.
• The method effectively addresses the readability issue of embossed typefaces on ampoules.

Conclusions:

• Implementing this simple differentiation step can mitigate risks associated with ampoule misidentification in surgical procedures.
• This contributes to improved patient safety and operational efficiency in the OR.
• The solution is practical, cost-effective, and easily integrated into OR protocols.