Background: Contact from the hospital pharmacy department identified that the labelling of blood glucose meter quality control (QC) solutions could no longer be sustained. This included pharmacy staff attaching coloured dots and distributing these to all clinical areas quarterly. Registered nurses (RNs) are responsible for daily QC monitoring. Consultation occurred between pharmacy staff, senior metropolitan Diabetes Educators (DEs) and the relevant blood glucose company representatives who discussed the new tamper proof packaging.
Aim: To introduce a suitable new QC labelling system within the public hospital.
Method: Labelling recommendations were reviewed ¹. The relevant staff considered five existing plus two newly designed labels. DEs randomly surveyed RNs in the public hospital to determine their label preference and an in-service and competency questionnaire developed.
Results: The face to face survey of 40 participants included 26 (65%) females on the usual nursing shifts at each of the three hospital sites. From the respondents 25 (62%) RNs preferred the new fluoro pink label, 8 (20%) “Caution” label and 7 (18%) the new white label. During November 2011, 153 RNs attended QC update presentations. The presentations highlighted the background to the new QC labels, nursing responsibility, commencement date of the new labelling system, recording the three month open and expiry period on labels and attachment to QC bottles. RNs completed a written eight point competency questionnaire at the end of the presentations, with a 95% correct response rate. A quarterly March 2012 sectional audit demonstrated, 52% of QC solutions were correctly labelled and dated by the RNs. In addition to the above education, email communication was sent to 3186 hospital RNs about the new QC labelling system.
Conclusion: The new QC labelling system was introduced and has been reasonably well received with ongoing staff discussion with usual auditing practises to ensure correct labelling and dating.