title: A survey of standardised drug syringe label use in European anaesthesiology departments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standardised drug syringe labelling may reduce drug errors, but data on drug syringe labelling use in European anaesthesiology departments are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Survey investigating if standardised drug syringe labelling is used, and if there are geographical, demographic and professional differences in hospitals with and without use of drug syringe labelling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured, web-based anonymised questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  European anaesthesia departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Members of the European Society of Anaesthesiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Online survey from 2 February to 12 April 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardised drug syringe labelling use and, if yes, drug syringe labelling for insulin and norepinephrine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and comparative analyses of users and nonusers of standardised drug syringe labelling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand and sixty-four of 4163 members (25.6%) from 72 countries participated, among whom 660 (62.0%) used standardised drug syringe labelling; in Northern and Western Europe, there were 428 users of drug syringe labelling and 112 nonusers, and in Southern and Eastern Europe, there were 184 users and 255 nonusers (P < 0.001). Three hundred and ninety-four (37%) respondents used standardised drug syringe labelling hospital-wide; 202 (30.1%) used International Organisation of Standardisation-based standardised drug syringe labelling, 101 (15.1%) used similar systems, 278 (41.5%) used other systems and 89 (13.3%) used labels supplied by drug manufacturers. The label colour for insulin was reported as white or 'none' in 519 (76.7%) answers and another colour in 158 (23.3%). The label colour for norepinephrine was reported as violet in 206 (30.4%) answers, white or 'none' in 226 (33.3%), red in 114 (16.8%) and another colour in 132 (19.5%). A standardised drug syringe labelling system supplied by the pharmaceutical industry was supported by 819 (76.9%) respondents, and not supported by 227 (21.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A majority of European anaesthesiology departments used standardised drug syringe labelling, with regional differences and mostly without following an international standard. Thus, there are options for quality improvement in drug syringe labelling.
authors: Division of Anaesthesiology, Department Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland. nadine.wickboldt@hcuge.ch
authors: Nadine
authors: N
authors: Wickboldt
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Balzer
authors: Jérôme
authors: J
authors: Goncerut
authors: Pierre-André
authors: PA
authors: Michel
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Staender
authors: Raf
authors: R
authors: Kinnaer
authors: Willehad
authors: W
authors: Boemke
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Kastrup
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Spies
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Walder
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology; D004345:Drug Industry; D004348:Drug Labeling / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013594:Syringes