Drug errors in obstetric anaesthesia: a national survey

We conducted a postal survey of lead obstetric anaesthetists in all consultant-led maternity units in the UK about drug errors and the measures taken to reduce or prevent them. Of the 179 out of 240 (75%) who responded, 70 (39%) knew of at least one drug error in their unit during the last year, with 28 of them (40%) experiencing more than one. Of the most recent errors, giving the wrong drug (most commonly thiopental instead of antibiotics or vice versa [14 cases], or suxamethonium instead of [Formula: see text] [8 cases] or other drugs [4 cases]) was the most common error, occurring in 27 units (15%). Errors involving epidural/spinal analgesia/anaesthesia (including drugs intended for these routes but given via other routes) occurred in 20 cases. Only 36 respondents (20%) described protocols for checking anaesthetic drugs. Methods described for reducing drug errors were use of coloured labels (20%) or pre-filled labelled syringes (6%), limiting the range of drugs available (6%) and keeping drugs in separate trays once drawn up (6%).