The long-standing patient-safety risks posed by improperly connected medical tubes must be addressed by providers, the Joint Commission said Wednesday in a Sentinel Event alert (PDF).
Almost all inpatients are at risk because most receive medicine or other fluids through an intravenous tube during their hospital stay. Prime examples of potentially fatal misconnections cited by the Joint Commission include linking a feeding tube to a tracheotomy line or connecting an IV tube to an epidural source.
“Tubing misconnections are the root cause of too many episodes of patient harm, and the Joint Commission is committed to helping healthcare organizations prevent them,” Joint Commission CEO Dr. Mark Chassin said in a news release.