Introduction of the NRFit^TM Standard for Regional Anesthesia and Algology at a Primary General University Hospital in Belgium: Practical Procedure for a Successful Step-by-Step Introduction

Whilst in modern medicine, the optimisation of treatment administration is based on knowledge not only of pharmacology but also of physiology, patient safety is no less important. ISO standards play a part in this, and as such, ISO 80369-6 (NRFit^TM in practice) belongs to a family of standards whose primary aim is to drastically reduce the risk of mis-connection or mis-injection. However, the current uptake of this standard remains limited. The reason for this appears to be that the transition from Luer-type equipment to NRFit^TM equipment can pose a problem for many of us. Consequently, driven by a desire to enhance patient safety, we have devised and implemented a structured plan for transitioning to the NRFit^TM standard in our practices, taking a holistic approach. In doing so, we have taken into account not only regional anaesthesia but also pain management. Here, we describe the entire preparatory phase, the full methodology of our implementation (from the most theoretical to the most practical aspects), and finally the monitoring of the effectiveness of the standard’s implementation. In this context, the main objective was the strictest and most comprehensive application of the NRFit^TM standard, as recommended by ISO. At the same time, we had to take into account the specific conditions at our institution, which means that this report cannot be regarded as universally applicable. However, as we have endeavoured to be as comprehensive and informative as possible, our work may serve as a useful guide for those interested in this kind of implementation.