Background Patient identification bracelets and their verification by infrared scanner help to minimise errors during administration of intravenous anticancer drugs.

Purpose To quantify the number of correct administrations, type of mistakes avoided and the level of implementation of the new safety system for administration of intravenous drugs.

Material and methods A retrospective descriptive study was designed with all patients who received intravenous anticancer drugs in Oncology Day Hospital (June 2014–September 2014). The identification bracelet was printed and put on the patient by the nurse. The scanner read the barcode of each intravenous preparation: chemotherapy and supportive treatment, and the Data matrix code of the bracelet with patient data. The system verified that dosages and the administration steps in the order specified in the chemotherapy management software (Farmis-Oncofarm V.2011.0.4.6) were correct. All the information was recorded in a database through a WiFi system. The end points examined were: number of correct administrations and number and type of mistakes that were avoided. The level of implementation of this system was assessed as the number of drugs preparations identified by infrared scanner compared to the total number of completed administrations.

Results During the study period, 476 patients were included with 13,805 administrations (21% cytostatic drugs and 79% supportive treatments). The level of implementation obtained was 67%.

Conclusion

1. The safety system was used in more than a half of administered cycles.

2. Errors related to order of administration were the most common identified.

3. The level of implementation of the identification system would require an improvement in order to benefit the maximum number of patients.

References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.