Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Miscellaneous issuesexample, central neuraxial opioids. Off label use is not forbidden solong as consultants lead it. If in doubt, ask.Use of drugs in more than one patientContainers whose contents are designed to be used for more thanone patient are clearly marked as such. You must not use thecontents of any other type of ampoule to treat more than one patient,in line with the Association of Anaesthetists advice.Controlled drugs in perioperative care, AAGBI, 2006,http://www.aagbi.org/pdf/drugs.pdf.Controlled drugsIt is good practice to adhere to the recommendations of theAssociation of Anaesthetists as above and the Department of Health(Safer management of controlled drugs: a guide to good practice insecondary care (England), October 2007)..1. Sign for the controlled drugs received in the operating theatrecontrolled drugs register.2. Note in the register, the amount by mass of drug that you haveadministered and the amount by mass that you have discarded.3. Record in the patient’s records (anaesthesia chart or drug chartas appropriate) the amount by mass of drug administered.4. Return any unopened ampoules.5. Safely dispose of any unused controlled drugs that remain in anopen ampoule or syringe. Any drug discarded should be intoemptied into a sharps box pending a trust-wide review ofdisposal arrangements. Do not put any drug into a sink waste.You should not leave drugs at the end of a case or list, and youshould not bring suspicion on yourself by removing any syringes orampoules from a theatre for use elsewhere. Any drug syringespassed to recovery staff for postoperative analgesia must be clearlylabelled and explicitly passed between two professional staff.202 Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010