Journal of post anesthesia nursing
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The administration of intravenous conscious sedation for patients undergoing minor procedures has increased in many settings throughout health care. Recognizing this, managers are challenged to develop policies to standardize the quality of patient care delivery. Consumer interest and knowledge in health care has increased dramatically in the last few years. ⋯ Quality improvement teams were developed to look at processes crossing departmental boundaries. Teams facilitate dialogue, understanding, and knowledge, and use the scientific method to design, streamline, and improve processes. The authors share strategies for policy development using a 7-step quality improvement process with a multidisciplinary team approach.
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Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common side effects after surgery and have numerous patient factors and etiologies. Although self-limiting, PONV is not without risks and complications. ⋯ It is believed that ondansetron binds at the serotonin receptor both in the vagal afferents of the gastrointestinal tract and in the chemoreceptor trigger zone. The reported side effects from ondansetron are minor compared with those of the more commonly used antiemetics such as droperidol and metoclopramide and include headache, dizziness, musculoskeletal pain, drowsiness and sedation, and shivers.
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Based on the content of this article, the reader should be able to (1) describe the symptoms of malignant hyperthermia (MH); (2) describe the use of dantrolene in the treatment of MH; (3) explain the history of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States; (4) list the recommended contents of an MH emergency cart; and (5) explain how to plan a mock MH crisis drill.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Rewarming hypothermic postanesthesia patients: a comparison between a water coil warming blanket and a forced-air warming blanket.
The warming effects of a Blanketrol water coil-heated hypothermia blanket and a Bair Hugger forced-warm air warming blanket were compared. Thirty-two patients admitted to the PACU with temperatures 34.4 degrees C (94 degrees F) or lower were assigned to treatment with the Blanketrol (Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products, Cincinnati, OH) or the Bair Hugger (Augustine Medical, Eden Prairie, MN) in alternating fashion, and treatment continued until the patients' temperatures reached 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F). Every half hour each patient's temperature was measured using a tympanic temperature device and recorded on the data collection sheet. Analysis of the findings showed that the forced-air warming blanket warmed patients to 36.1 degrees C (97 degrees F) or higher significantly faster than the water coil-heated blanket (P < .001).