syringe down and it's not for immediate use, then it must have all of
the required labeling elements.
•••
Q
Is it okay to pre-
label syringes —
to label a drug as
added before the actu-
al addition?
A
No. Pre-labeling
a supply of
syringes long before
they're filled with the
indicated agent is not a safe practice, as it potentially sets the stage
for someone to use the wrong syringe for a newly drawn medication.
In my consulting visits to surgical centers over the years, I've seen a
sealed BSS bottle that already contained a label indicating epineph-
rine had been added and anesthesia carts filled with empty, pre-
labeled syringes.
•••
Q
Is it okay to "stretch" prefilled syringes by withdrawing portions
of contents of the drugs they contain?
A
No, it's not advisable to withdraw medications from prefilled
syringes. It's understandable that you want to prevent drug
waste, but using cartridges as multidose vials is a risky practice.
These products are not intended to be multiple dose vials. What's
more, transferring medications from one syringe to another is a risky
process that could cascade into errors, possible needlesticks and con-
tamination.
•••
1 1 8
O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | A P R I L 2 0 1 5
z PROBLEM WITH PRE-LABELING SYRINGES
This photo shows that someone placed an "atropine
0.4mg/ml" label on a syringe, but the vial indicates
that atropine 1mg/ml is about to be drawn into it.
Sheldon
S.
Sones,
RPh,
FASCP
