Clear communication, use of checklists help prevent intravitreous injection errors
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
KOLOA, Hawaii — Having a standard method of communication in place for staff helps prevent wrong intravitreous injections, according to a speaker here.
During a Retina 2023 presentation, Robin A. Vora, MD, said that physicians should be clear with their staff about which patient is receiving the injection, which eye is being injected and which injection is being delivered.
Maintaining a standard method for marking the injection area is also advisable, he said, as is taking a surgeon timeout before the procedure.
“Stop what you're doing, focus on who is in front of you, and make sure you are doing the right thing,” Vora said.
Checklists are a useful tool for avoiding errors as well. A pre-procedure checklist for intravitreous injections can include having the patient confirm their name and date of birth, which eye or eyes are being injected, the medication being used and the dose to be delivered.
“Nearly every step from the moment the patient enters the examination room may be a potential source of error resulting in a wrong injection,” Vora said.
High patient volume, staff turnover, a growing number of treatment options and EMR alert fatigue can all contribute to a mistake.
“Everybody needs to be engaged to prevent errors,” Vora said.
Collapse
Vora R. Wrong intravitreous injections: Don’t learn the hard way. Presented at: Retina 2023; Jan. 15-20, 2023; Koloa, Hawaii.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts