
In several health centers in the Netherlands a device that's normally used at home to measure the glucose levels of diabetes patients, was used on up to 600 patients, without changing needles. The device contains six needles, and ordinarily, after each time its used, the head of the device is twisted, and a new, sterile needle comes out. Apparently, the staff of the health centers did not know they had to twist the head of the device. Although this brings up the question: why is it possible to use the device twice without bringing a new needle out? Maybe because for home use the needles don't have to be exchanged after each measurement.
In this case, using a home-use device in a professional context created a situation of poor usability, which led to over 600 people that have to be tested for hepatitis and HIV. "And it seemed like such a handy device," one of the doctors remarked.
A picture that accompanies an
article in De Volkskrant (Dutch newspaper) seems to indicate that the device in question is the Roche Accucheck
Softclix or
Multiclix. Ironically, the devices are advertised as 'hygenic' and 'easy to use'. But to be fair, the website also indicates that the device is intended for 'patient self-testing'.
Source:
Volkskrant (
in Dutch only)
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