Automated anesthesia carts reduce drug recording errors in medication administrations - A single center study in the largest tertiary referral hospital in China

Abstract

Aim: To clinically evaluate a type of patented automated anesthesia cart in medication administrations in anesthesia.

Materials and methods: This was a prospectively randomized open label clinical trial. In 10 designated operating suits in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, in China. 1066 cases originated from 10,812 medication administrations in anesthesia were randomized. 78 registered anesthesiologists managed the medication. The patients received medication administrations in anesthesia with either an automated or a conventional manual cart. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, sex, duration of anesthesia and surgical specialty, errors in administration of medications (incorrect medication given (substitution), medication not given (omission) and drug recordings errors"), compliance and satisfaction were recorded.

Results: The total error rate was 7.3% with the automated anesthesia carts (1 in 14 administrations) and 11.9% with conventional manual carts (1 in 8 administrations). Automated anesthesia carts significantly reduced the drug recording error rate compared to conventional manual carts (P<0.01). However, no significant difference of substitution or errors omission errors was found between groups of automated anesthesia carts and conventional manual carts. The anesthesiologists' compliance with the automated anesthesia carts was unsatisfactory, and all the errors in medication recordings with the automated anesthesia carts were due to the incorrect use of the carts. Most of the participating anesthesiologists preferred the automated anesthesia carts (P<0.05).

Conclusions: The utilization of automated anesthesia carts reduced the drug recording errors in medication administrations of anesthesia.

Keywords: Anesthesia; Automated anesthesia carts; Durg recording errors; Medication administrations.