Tube misconnections in critical care

Dr.Shailendra.V.L.Director of Patient Safety

Al Bukeriya general hospital

LookLook – – CheckCheck – – Connect Connect • Misconnecting medical device tubing can lead to serious patient harm

or death. The FDA is working with standards organizations, the Joint Commission, and professional groups to support the correct use of device connectors to reduce the chance of tubing misconnections

• Ensure all clinicians and providers are trained in advance of about connectors to avoid any problems with misconnections

• Advise all staff to not modify or adapt the device or its connector outside of its intended use, in order to prevent misconnections.

Case study Case study

• An infant in the pediatric intensive care unit had both a feeding tube and a trach tube

• The feeding tube was inadvertently placed in the trach tube and milk was delivered into the infant’s lungs

• The infant died

• THE JOINT COMMISSION2 SAFETY TIP: Always trace a tube or catheter from the patient to the point of origin before connecting any new device or infusion

Feeding Tube Erroneously Connected to Feeding Tube Erroneously Connected to Trach TubeTrach Tube


• An anesthetist and a midwife mistakenly connected an epidural set to the patient’s IV tubing

• The epidural medicine was delivered to the IV• The patient died

• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: High

• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: For certain high-risk catheters (e.g., epidural, intra-thecal, arterial), label the catheter and do not use catheters that have injection ports

•

Epidural tubing erroneously connected to Epidural tubing erroneously connected to IV tubingIV tubing


• A child in a pediatric intensive care unit had both an IV line and a trach tube

• The IV tubing was mistakenly connected to the trach cuff port• The IV fluid over-expanded the trach cuff to the point of

breaking and continuous IV fluids entered the child’s lungs• The child died• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: High• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Emphasize

the risk of tubing misconnections in orientation and training•

IV tubing erroneously connected to trach IV tubing erroneously connected to trach cuffcuff


• During a nebulizer treatment, the patient’s oxygen tubing fell off the nebulizer and the patient’s IV tubing was inadvertently attached to the nebulizer

• When the patient inhaled, a moderate amount of IV fluids was aspirated into the patient’s lungs

• The misconnection was identified by the respiratory therapist and the patient survived

• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: High• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Do not

purchase non-intravenous equipment that is equipped with connectors that can physically mate or attach with a female Luer IV line connector

IV tubing erroneously connected to IV tubing erroneously connected to nebulizernebulizer


• A patient’s oxygen tubing became disconnected from his nebulizer and was accidentally reattached to his IV tubing Y-site by a staff member who was completing a double shift

• The patient died from an air embolism, even though the connection was broken within seconds

• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: High• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Identify

and manage conditions and practices that may contribute to health care worker fatigue, and take appropriate action

Oxygen tubing erroneously connected to a Oxygen tubing erroneously connected to a needleless IV portneedleless IV port

Case study Case study • An ER patient had an IV heparin lock but no IV fluids had been started. The

patient also had a noninvasive automatic BP cuff placed for continuous monitoring

• The BP cuff tubing was disconnected when the patient went to the bathroom• When she returned, her spouse mistakenly connected the BP cuff tubing to

the IV catheter and approximately 15 mL of air was delivered to the IV catheter

• The patient died from a fatal air embolus, despite resuscitation efforts• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: High• Inform non-clinical staff, patients and their families that they must get help

from clinical staff whenever there is a real or perceived need to connect or disconnect devices or infusions

•

Blood pressure tubing erroneously Blood pressure tubing erroneously connected to IV catheterconnected to IV catheter

Case study Case study • A nurse’s aide inadvertently connected a patient’s IV tubing to the nasal

oxygen cannula upon transfer to the step down unit• The misconnection was not noted until four hours later, when the patient

complained of chest tightness and difficulty breathing• The patient was treated for congestive heart failure and survived


• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Recheck connections and trace all patient tubes and catheters to their sources upon the patient’s arrival in a new setting or service as part of the handoff process. Standardize this “line reconciliation” process.

•

IV tubing erroneously connected to nasal IV tubing erroneously connected to nasal cannulacannula

Case study Case study • The patient had both a central line with three ports and a trach tube• Medicine intended for the central line was inadvertently injected into the

trach cuff• The trach cuff was damaged and the medicine entered the patient’s lungs• A new trach tube was inserted and the patient survived


• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Always trace a tube or catheter from the patient to the point of origin before connecting any new device or infusion

•

Syringe erroneously connected to trach Syringe erroneously connected to trach cuffcuff


• A patient’s feeding tube was inadvertently connected to the instillation port on the ventilator in-line suction catheter

• Tube feeding was delivered into the patient’s lungs• The patient died


• Emphasize the risk of tubing misconnections in orientation and training

•

Enteral feeding tube erroneously connected Enteral feeding tube erroneously connected to ventilator in-line suction catheterto ventilator in-line suction catheter

Case study Case study • A patient admitted for stroke had a pulsatile anti-embolism stocking (PAS) on the

left lower extremity and an IV heparin lock in the right ankle• The patient was alert and oriented on admission but shortly after was found

unresponsive and cyanotic• The PAS pump tubing was found connected to the IV heparin lock in the patient’s

right ankle• The patient died of a massive air embolus


• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Manufacturers should implement “designed incompatibility” as appropriate, to prevent dangerous misconnections of tubes and catheters

•

Pulsatile anti-embolism stocking Pulsatile anti-embolism stocking erroneously connected to IV heparin lockerroneously connected to IV heparin lock

CASE STUDYCASE STUDY• A child had both a gastric feeding tube for nutrition and an IV for medicine

and hydration• When the child’s gown was changed, a family member inadvertently attached

the IV tubing to the gastric feeding tube• The medicine was delivered through the feeding tube into the stomach• There was no patient harm since the event was noted in a timely manner

• POTENTIAL FOR HARM: Moderate

• THE JOINT COMMISSION SAFETY TIP: Inform non-clinical staff, patients and their families that they must get help from clinical staff whenever there is a real or perceived need to connect or disconnect devices or infusions

•

Foley catheter erroneously connected to Foley catheter erroneously connected to NG tubeNG tube

Ensure that health-care organizations have systems and procedures in place which:• Emphasize to non-clinical staff, patients, and families that devices

should never be connected or disconnected by them. Help should always be requested from clinical staff.

• Require the labeling of high-risk catheters (e.g. arterial, epidural, intrathecal).

• Use of catheters with injection ports for these applications is to be avoided.

• Require that caregivers trace all lines from their origin to the connection port to verify attachments before making any connections or reconnections, or administering medications, solutions, or other products.

Ensure that health-care organizations have systems and procedures in place which:

• Include a standardized line reconciliation process as part of handover communications.

• This should involve rechecking tubing connections and tracing all patient tubes and catheters to their sources upon the patient’s arrival in a new setting or service and at staff shift changes.

• Bar the use of standard Luer-connection syringes to administer oral medications or enteric feedings.

• Provide for acceptance testing and risk assessment (failure mode and effects analysis, etc.) to identify the potential for misconnections when purchasing new catheters and tubing.

Tube misconnections in critical care

Healthcare

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