Health and Medical Administration Commons^™

Anesthesia-To-Post Anesthesia Care Unit Handoff Standardization, Cassie Lee Bivens, Mark Timothy Cresap, Steven Michael Halcomb, Maureen Essie Taylor

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Abstract

The exchange of medical information from one medical professional to another is known as the handoff. Communication errors during the transition period of handoffs can lead to medication errors, delays in care, high stress within the work environment, and increased burnout of the nursing staff. Approximately 1,744 deaths and a total of $1.7 billion in malpractice costs were related to healthcare communication failures from 2012 to 2017. One of the areas of the hospital where effective handoffs are critically important, given the high frequency, is in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Major organizations such as the Joint Commission, the …

Quality Improvement: Education And Implementation Of Proper Narcotic Handling Practices By Nurse Anesthetists, Shelby Stevenson, Anne Hendershott, Alexis Asprah

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Medication errors are estimated to occur once in every 150-300 surgeries (Wahr et al., 2017, p. 36). Unsafe injection practices can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, diminish the overall quality of life for patients, and contribute to substantial increases in healthcare costs. A large majority of unsafe injection practices are caused by a lack of education or mistaken beliefs regarding safe injection practices. Educational reinforcement of safe narcotic handling techniques has significant potential to increase the appropriate use of narcotic syringes among nurse anesthesia providers. The long-standing impact of this project could lead to a reduced number of ‘never …