Standardizing anesthesia medication drawers using human factors and quality assurance methods

Summary

In Calgary, each of the three acute-care adult hospitals had different anesthetic medication carts with their own type and layout of anaesthetic medications. A number of anaesthesiologists moved among the different sites, increasing the potential for medication errors. The objective of this study from Schultz et al., published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, was to identify the anesthetic medications to include and to determine how they should be grouped and positioned in a standardised anesthesia medication cart drawer.

Implementation of the standardised medication drawer is expected to reduce the likelihood of medication errors. Future research should include testing the clinical implications of this standardization and applying the methodology to other areas.