[Analysis of heparin sodium prescribing practices with an electric syringe pump].

Objectives: Report on the practices of prescribing continuous infusion of heparin sodium by syringe pump in our hospital and shed qualitative light on the protocols used in other French hospitals.

Methods: We interviewed prescribers about the protocol they were using through the computerized provider order entry system. At the same time, we asked hospital pharmacists, particularly through a social network, whether in their hospital one or more protocols were used and which ones.

Results: In all, 81 prescribers responded to our request: 22 indicated prescribing the 25,000IU/50mL protocol, 7 the 20,000IU/48mL protocol, 2 the 25,000IU/48mL protocol and 14 indicated that they had no preference for one of them. Ten responded that they did not prescribe any protocols and 26 left the question unanswered. The responses of 42 pharmacists practicing in other establishments allowed us to identify 16 different protocols. Of these 42 establishments, 10 had at least two protocols.

Conclusions: Several protocols for the administration by continuous infusion of heparin sodium with a syringe pump can coexist within a hospital. This diversity is confusing and puts patients and caregivers at risk of medication errors. Among all these protocols, it is not known whether some are riskier than others and research to clarify this unknown is warranted. Defining a national standard concentration of heparin and bringing to the market ready-to-administer solutions are measures to be promoted in order to reduce the risk of errors.