Nursing Commons^™

Malignant Hyperthermia, Chase Contri

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Although very rare, occurring one out of every 100,000 anesthesia cases, malignant hyperthermia is a hypermetabolic disorder that anesthesia providers screen and interrogate patients prior to every case they are administering anesthesia. Many research studies about anesthesia induced malignant hyperthermia have explored new methods of testing for the genetic susceptibility for malignant hyperthermia and into hospital based protocols when a patient starts to show the signs and symptoms of the metabolic disorder. This new knowledge and understanding has decreased patient mortality of anesthesia induced malignant hyperthermia from eighty percent to five percent over the past three decades (Rosenberg et al, …

Malignant Hyperthermia, Devin Poncsak

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

A crisis of malignant hyperthermia is a medical emergency, and must be treated immediately with a coordinated, multidisciplinary team response in order to give the patient the highest chance for a successful recovery (Dirksen, Van Wicklin, Mashman, Neiderer, & Merritt, 2013). Malignant hyperthermia is defined by Bandschapp & Girard (2012), as “a disturbance of the skeletal muscle calcium homeostasis, triggered by volatile anaesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants.” Once a vulnerable patient is exposed to one of these triggering agents, a pathologic hypermetabolic response ensues, and the patient has a rapid increase in oxygen consumption and expired carbon dioxide, hyperthermia, acidosis, …

Pseudocholinesterase Deficiency, Ross Gerken

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Pseudocholinesterase deficiency is a rare genetic or acquired variation in the metabolism of choline esters such as the neuromuscular blockers succinylcholine, mivacurium, and ester local anesthetics. Pseudocholinesterase deficiency genetically is transmitted in an autosomal recessive pattern with the frequency of apnea from a genetic abnormality of pseudocholinesterase between 1:480 and 1:3200 people (Ok et al., 2013). An extended period of neuromuscular blockade results from these medications than what is clinically expected. The signs and symptoms which occur are apnea and paralysis hours longer. This condition is rare but must be known and understood by the clinician in order to provide …

Secondhand Smoke Exposure As A Risk Factor For Perioperative Airway Complications In Pediatric Outpatient Procedures, Ashlee Denise Loudin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to assess the risk of perioperative airway complications, analyze extubation times, and PACU Length Of Stay (LOS), and their association with secondhand smoke exposure in pediatric populations receiving outpatient procedures that require general anesthesia.

Introduction: Tobacco Smoke Exposure (TSE), is well documented to cause physiologic changes in lung tissue that are associated with decreased lung function, increased risk of lower and upper respiratory tract illness, exacerbation of asthma or increased risk of asthma, increased prevalence of non-allergic bronchial hyperresponsiveness, sudden infant death syndrome, and a host of other respiratory complications in adult and …

Improving Anesthesia Professional Adherence To Hand Hygiene, Martha E. Seneca

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Performance of hand hygiene is among the most effective means of preventing healthcare associated infections (HAI) among patients. Deaths resulting from HAIs are one of the top ten leading causes of death in the United States. Any improvement in the frequency of hand hygiene among healthcare professionals may have a direct impact on patient mortality and associated costs. While anesthesia professionals have been found to have low rates of hand hygiene adherence, few targeted studies seeking to improve hand hygiene adherence among this group exist. Studies conducted to improve hand hygiene among health care professionals have reported limited improvement, with …

Anesthesia Safety: Filter Needle Use With Glass Ampules, Debran L. Harmon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Glass particle contamination of medication occurs when opening ampules which may cause patient harm. The use of filter needles reduces this risk. Many anesthesia providers use ampules daily, but do not use filter needles when aspirating medications from ampules. In addition, filter needles may not be readily available at the anesthesia medication preparation site. Not using filter needles or having them available for use can increase the risk of patient harm by glass particle contamination. The purpose of this project was to increase anesthesia provider’s knowledge thereby improving compliance with evidence-based standards when preparing medications from ampules. The goal is …

Increasing Practitioner Knowledge Of Ketamine As An Adjunct Analgesic For Postoperative Pain, Allison Goldfarb

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Postoperative pain is of serious concern to patients and anesthesia providers alike. Management of a patients’ pain is a central component of anesthesia care. Ketamine as an anesthetic agent has been available for 50 years. It has been utilized as a general anesthetic and selectively as an anesthetic agent for high-risk patients. Due to dysphoric side effects associated with the dosage required to render general anesthesia, anesthesia providers may be reluctant to utilize this medication to its full potential. Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in ketamine as an analgesic agent. The researcher for this project performed a …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On The Knowledge And Management Of Ponv Among Anesthesia Providers: A Pilot Study, Eleazar Comprendio, Juan E. Ruan, Mohammad Zyed, Julie Lamoureux, Feliciano Villalba

All Publications

No abstract provided.