Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Dec 2000
Knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols and level of anaesthetic training.
Inadequate recall of resuscitation protocols has contributed to poor performance of resuscitation in simulation studies. We asked, does the level of anaesthesia training affect knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols? We used a questionnaire that covered the areas of basic life support, advanced adult life support and paediatric life support. ⋯ The consultant group performed worse than all other groups for the basic life support and advanced life support questions. We suggest yearly resuscitation training for all anaesthetists and anaesthesia trainees.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Dec 2000
Do antisiphon valves reduce flow irregularities during vertical displacement of infusion pump systems?
Vertical displacement of syringe pumps may cause irregular drug delivery due to hydrostatic pressure changes in the infusion line. The extent of flow fluctuations depends on the internal compliance of infusion lines, syringes and syringe pumps. We evaluated whether pressure regulation by antisiphon valves (ASV) reduces the flow variation during vertical displacement of 50 ml standard syringes and infusion pumps. ⋯ Without an antisiphon valve the observed zero-drug delivery times after lowering the syringe pump were (mean +/- SD) 2.4 +/- 0.2 min using the BD Plastipak syringe and 4.09 +/- 0.55 min using the Fresenius syringe. Introduction of the antisiphon valve prolonged the zero drug delivery time 58% (ASV:75) and 88% (ASV:155) in the BD Plastipak syringe assembly and 43% (ASV:75) and 81% (ASV:155) in the Fresenius syringe assembly (P < 0.001). Antisiphon valves worsen flow irregularities caused by vertical displacement of syringe pumps and when used with delivery of concentrated inotropic drugs at low infusion rates, they may aggravate haemodynamic consequences of inconstant drug delivery.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Dec 2000
Attitudes and practices of New Zealand anaesthetists with regard to emergency drugs.
A postal survey of anaesthetists practising in New Zealand assessed practices with regard to the preparation of pre-drawn syringes of emergency drugs in theatre, and attitudes towards the drawing up of drugs by non-medically qualified assistants. Opinion and practice varied widely; a quarter of respondents routinely draw up such drugs and a third either never or very infrequently do so. The drugs most commonly drawn up in this way were suxamethonium, atropine, syntocinon, ephedrine and metaraminol. ⋯ The majority (68.5%) had received no teaching on the issue and nearly all (83.5%) reported that there was no institutional policy in their workplace(s). "Syringe swap" or "wrong drug" errors related to such pre-drawn drugs were reported by 26.5%, while delay in drawing up a drug in an emergency was reported by 37%. Nearly all (98%) respondents believed that it was acceptable for an anaesthetic technician (or similar assistant) to draw up drugs in an emergency but only 14% approved of assistants drawing up drugs routinely. We conclude that there is no uniformity of opinion amongst New Zealand anaesthetists about which if any drugs should be pre-drawn for possible emergency use, and that few would endorse the drawing up of drugs by non-medically qualified assistants, except in emergency, or under other clearly delineated circumstances.