Using same syringes all day

OK, let me add to the question. Once upon a time, within the last couple of years, I had a co-worker who would draw up a 20cc syringe of propofol for use with endo MAC procedures. This co-worker would put the syringe in a pump, connect tubing from the syringe to the patient's flowing IV line, and let 'er rip. When finished with one procedure, the co-worker would disconnect the tubing and throw it out, then attach a new tubing to the same syringe and use it for the next patient. I talked to this person about it a few times, but they felt the procedure they were following was safe, and saving the hospital money, since the procedures often only took 5 minutes. To this person's thinking, one syringe and one 20cc bottle of propofol could be used for two or even three patients.

Clearly, I think this is wrong as two left shoes, but my co-worker could not be convinced. Any thoughts?

Kevin McHugh

Huh?! What? I think maybe you misunderstood my post, and I certainly have no secondary agenda! Nowhere did I say or insinuate that "every" anesthesia provider I work with in today's environment (I do registry and travel OR nursing, as well as IV and pump teaching, in many states.)

I think if you reread my original post you will understand. I was referencing the 80's, and even part of the '90s, when it was very common--not as common as in the '80s, but fairly common. I am unaware of any hospital acquired infections from these practices at any facility where I have worked or taught--that's not to say they didn't occur. I was not aware of the referenced hepatitis outbreak until I read about it here.

Now, flash forward to the 21st century. I still see it done. Not consistently; not by everyone, but I still see it done. The borrowing of a succs drip (to be returned and used on various patients until empty) is one I have seen done, oh, as recently as the time I posted my original question.

Oh, and putting extension tubing from a propofol syringe pump onto a patient's IV, then just discarding the extension tubing after use and using new extension tubing, but the same propofol with the same syringe pump tubing? Or not using extension tubing, but just changing the syringe pump tubing between patients? Still see that fairly frequently. Again--not by "every" anesthesia provider, and not universally. But--frequently enough to wonder where people are getting the idea that it is STILL acceptable.

But, I posted to get opinions as to what other folks thought of what I was witnessing, and if they were still seeing it, too. I haven't posted to or read this thread in a while, so was surprised to see your comment. Mostly I was just interested in how other facilities do things, and their rationales for doing them that way.

If you are looking for secondary agendas, InterestedRN, you won't find them in anything I post. LOL!

OK, here is another question--do any of your facilities wash and reuse circuit tubing? I sometimes work at a place that still does--I know they did all throughout the '90s, when I was staff there; and when I work there occasionally now through registry, now, I still see it done. Is this type of recycling OK in today's environment, with SARS and community acquired pneumonia? The rationale I heard in the '90s was that there is one way valve on the tubing, so it all goes to the patient, therefore nothing (i.e., waste anesthetic gases) is expired that would "contaminate" the tubing....what say you all?

Propofol is a particular concern. It is supposed to be discarded after 4 hours due to propofol being an excellent bacterial growth media. There was a well-publicized case several years ago of an anesthetist who used the same propofol syringe for several days with less than favorable patient outcomes.

Wow. I have no OR experience. When the time comes that my husband or I must undergo a surgical procedure, how should I go about letting the anesthsia staff know that I want to make sure only new, unused syringes and tubing are used for our care?