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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Improving Nurse Anesthetist Intraoperative Handoff Process By Developing And Implementing An Evidence-Based, Facility-Specific Cognitive Aid, Jason Silva, Myron Arnaud May 2019

Improving Nurse Anesthetist Intraoperative Handoff Process By Developing And Implementing An Evidence-Based, Facility-Specific Cognitive Aid, Jason Silva, Myron Arnaud

Journal of Nursing & Interprofessional Leadership in Quality & Safety

Miscommunication or non-transfer of pertinent patient information during intraoperative handoffs between anesthesia providers creates patient safety risks. An evidence-based facility-specific cognitive aid was developed and introduced to nurse anesthetists in an anesthesiology department of a large academic hospital with the aim of improving the intraoperative patient handoff process. The program used a handoff cognitive aid that addressed five pertinent patient information points. A secondary measure was evaluation of provider satisfaction. Twenty-four nurse anesthetists utilized the handoff cognitive aid during handoffs in the course of a 4-week pilot program. Eighty-eight nurse anesthetist handoffs were observed (23 with and 65 without the …


Education Program Using Non-Pharmacologic Support During Benzodiazepine Reduction In Patients With Anxiety Disorders, Kelly D. Kearney Dnp, Rn, Pmhnp-Bc, Diane Wardell Phd, Whnp-Bc Jun 2017

Education Program Using Non-Pharmacologic Support During Benzodiazepine Reduction In Patients With Anxiety Disorders, Kelly D. Kearney Dnp, Rn, Pmhnp-Bc, Diane Wardell Phd, Whnp-Bc

Journal of Nursing & Interprofessional Leadership in Quality & Safety

A private mental health clinic developed an initiative to aid patients with anxiety disorders to taper their use of benzodiazepines. Based on best practices, a treatment protocol was developed in which patients attended 4 sessions (1 per month) in which they combined instruction in non-pharmaceutical anti-anxiety techniques (guided imagery, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, exercise, emotional freedom) with cognitive behavioral therapy and use of selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors. Participants experienced a reduction in benzodiazepine use. This small scale initiative showed that the holistic approach to anxiety management was an effective plan to decrease the use of benzodiazepines …