I realize that some people out there may have their own preformed opinions regarding Medscape articles, and I agree that often the articles published are more of an "editorial style" than objective information. However, I really try to sift through the large volume of publications that Medscape puts out on a regular basis to bring you all the most objective and pertinent information out there.
This article highlights the problem with the reuse of "single use" medical supplies. Whether for cost-savings in a private practice, or convenience in a large academic institution, this is a real problem that I guarantee every medical student will face at some point during their training. When faced with these issues we must ask ourselves a few very pertinent questions: "why am I reusing this supply?", "is this in the best interest of my patient's health/safety?", "is this in the best interest of the health/safety of myself and my coworkers?", and finally, "is there a more efficient way to avoid this dilemma in the future?".
This article highlights the problem with the reuse of "single use" medical supplies. Whether for cost-savings in a private practice, or convenience in a large academic institution, this is a real problem that I guarantee every medical student will face at some point during their training. When faced with these issues we must ask ourselves a few very pertinent questions: "why am I reusing this supply?", "is this in the best interest of my patient's health/safety?", "is this in the best interest of the health/safety of myself and my coworkers?", and finally, "is there a more efficient way to avoid this dilemma in the future?".
Often the root of the cause is a 'systems issue': the pharmacy is a 10min walk and I already have one large vial of the medication I require. A specific example of this is the bupivicaine shortage that occurred several years ago. The nationwide shortage inadvertently encouraged hospital workers to attempt conservation of scarce resources by performing multiple draws from the same vial. These workers were trying to give their patients the best pain management they could, despite the known risks for crossThe easy target in this situation is the drug companies who package their pharmaceuticals in volumes beyond what is reasonably required for an individual patient, thus leading to significant waste. Naturally, a certain level of waste is expected in the hospital environment in order to ensure patient safety (an extra ______ in the OR just in case something becomes contaminated). However, in the case of the bupivicaine shortage, excessive waste can also be detrimental to patient care by creating shortages of essential medical supplies. Pinning this on the pharmaceutical companies is both a cop-out and insufficient. In order to assess the true nature of this problem and minimize its future impact, system-wide analyses must be undertaken to alleviate placing health care professionals in situations like this. It is naive to think that this problem is only the result of misinformed staff workers. Although that group may constitute a small portion of the total demographic, it is safe to assume that the vast majority of health care workers know proper protocols, yet the systemic framework within which they operate allows only one feasible path. It's a long road ahead, but with some bright ideas and fresh innovation we will tackle this issue like we have so many others.
Hit the link below for the full article.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/768187?src=ptalk
Hit the link below for the full article.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/768187?src=ptalk