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|  CME Medical – Helping to Improve Patient Safety in the CommunityImplementing the NPSA alert on Safer Ambulatory Syringe Drivers
By: CME Medical The NPSA Rapid Response Report – RRRO19 – Safer Ambulatory Syringe Drivers – highlighted several issues connected with older types of syringe drivers which have led to patient safety issues and even the death of patients. Between 1 January 2005 and 30 June 2010 the NPSA received reports of eight deaths and 167 non-fatal incidents involving ambulatory syringe drivers.1 (https://web.nhs.net/ CME Medical has already helped the Shropshire/Telford & Wrekin Health Economy to make the transition to the T34TM, which is one of the only pumps on the market which meets all of the NPSA requirements. Karen George, Clinical Nurse Advisor/Independent Providers, explained how they approached the transition process in Shropshire: “We were aware that there was going to be an NPSA alert regarding syringe drivers about six months before it was published and the Commissioners in Shropshire/Telford & Wrekin were considering their response. In order to adopt a proactive approach to ensure all providers are using the most modern, safe technology and in view of the fact that some of the current syringe drivers were becoming obsolete, it was decided to adopt a whole health economy approach to the procurement of new ambulatory syringe drivers”. It was the first time all of the organisations in the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Health Economy had worked together on a procurement project. A steering group was set up to oversee the procurement process and discussed new drivers currently available and the guidelines from the Department of Health. Karen explained the procurement process: “We held a day when manufacturers showcased their products to staff through presentations and a question and answer session. Following this, a decision was made to trial two syringe pumps which met all current safety regulations, including the CME Medical T34TM. A questionnaire was devised and completed as part of the trial and the feedback about the T34TM pump demonstrated that it was the preferred option for use by staff. Comments included: · Good syringe driver, clear display · Easy to use, very happy with this product, it meets our needs · User friendly and easy to operate · Liked the simplicity, instructions clear to follow · Like the fact it works rate etc out for you According to Karen, “Working as a Health Economy meant that Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin were able to standardise practice, by developing a training package for use across all organisations. It also enabled us to bulk buy the syringe drivers which meant that all providers were getting the equipment at a reduced cost including best practice guidance.” As a result of the trial, many organisations agreed to procure the CME Medical T34TM for their patients and made full use of the supportive training package the company provides. Andrew Churnside, Sales and Marketing Director for CME Medical, said: “We understand the challenge that organisations face in the transition from long-established equipment to a new ambulatory syringe driver. We have already helped around 50% of UK NHS Trusts through the process.” The problem identified with older ambulatory syringe drivers highlighted in the NPSA report, showed that some older types have rate settings in millimetres (mm) of syringe plunger travel, instead of millilitres (ml). According to the NPSA, errors have occurred due to incorrect infusion rates from inaccurate measurement or miscalculation or incorrect rate setting of the device. Another issue is some models use mm per hour while others use mm per 24 hours. The Rapid Response Report was issued in December 2010, and requires all NHS and independent sector users of ambulatory syringe drivers to develop a “Purchasing for Safety Initiative” that looks at safety features including: rate settings in millimetres per hour; mechanisms to stop infusion if the syringe is not properly and securely fitted, alarms that activate if the syringe driver is removed before the infusion is stopped, and lock box covers and or lock out controlled by password. Having been through the transition process successfully, Karen has the following advice for other organisations which are planning how to meet the NPSA Rapid Response Report requirements: · Use a Health Economy approach as this can save time and money · Trial several pumps to find the pump that is safest and best suits needs · Take a coordinated approach to the changeover process · Include Nursing homes/Hospices in the procurement process and initial training For more information visit www.cmemedical.co.uk or tel: 01253 894646. You can read the full press release here (http://www.cmemedical.co.uk/ End
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