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tence," she says with a laugh. "I guess everything we do is related to patient safety in one way or another." That probably sounds a lot like your facility. There's no doubt you already place extreme importance on protecting those in your care. The following solutions will just make it easier to do. 1. Pre-printed medication labels Pre-printed medication labels improve the efficiency and accuracy of medication administration, says Ms. Wein. "You don't face issues with illegible penmanship," she explains. "Even when staff or anesthesia providers print drug information, they don't always print clearly," she says. "The important details aren't always evident." Imelda Kelly, RN, CRNO, director of regulatory compliance at Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center in Phoenix, Ariz., says pre-print- ed medication labels encourage her CRNAs to follow safe medication administration protocols — they only have to note their initials, and the date and time syringes are filled — during a packed day of high- volume cataracts that could see them preparing multiple syringes for up to 40 patients. "If they had to write all that information over and over again," says Ms. Kelly, "I don't think we'd get what we wanted in terms of compliance." Beverly Kirchner, RN, BSN, CNOR, CASC, president of Genesee Associates in Highland Village, Texas, says staff at the surgery centers she manages pre-print labels for medications listed on pre-op orders. They then check the label against the drug, stick the label on a syringe, draw the medication and re-check the filled syringe against the order. Finally, they note their initials and the date on the label to confirm the syringe's contents match what was ordered. The process holds staff accountable for the drugs they administer. "Not only have we given them tools to avoid mistakes," says Ms. Kirchner, "but they have the obligation to check their own work so they catch their own errors." 6 5 M A R C H 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T