The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety gave safety recommendations for patient-controlled analgesia pumps to manage pain, according to The Sacramento Bee.
PCA pumps are used for patients to manage their own pain after surgery. Benefits include better pain management, better utilization of nursing resources, increased patient satisfaction and improved pulmonary function.
PCA also presents possible dangers. From 2005 to 2009, more than 56,000 adverse effects and 700 deaths were filed with the FDA and linked to PCA pumps, not including overdoses. Occasionally errors with programming the pumps occur, but respiratory depression can occur even with a fully-functioning pump.
The PPAHS released a patient safety checklist to help healthcare experts monitor PCA pumps. Questions to ask include the following:
• How does this pump work?
• Are the patient's oxygen levels being monitored?
• Is the patient being monitored for adequacy of ventilation with capnography?
• Have the patient's weight, medical conditions and other medication been taken into account before hooking the PCA to the patient?
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PCA pumps are used for patients to manage their own pain after surgery. Benefits include better pain management, better utilization of nursing resources, increased patient satisfaction and improved pulmonary function.
PCA also presents possible dangers. From 2005 to 2009, more than 56,000 adverse effects and 700 deaths were filed with the FDA and linked to PCA pumps, not including overdoses. Occasionally errors with programming the pumps occur, but respiratory depression can occur even with a fully-functioning pump.
The PPAHS released a patient safety checklist to help healthcare experts monitor PCA pumps. Questions to ask include the following:
• How does this pump work?
• Are the patient's oxygen levels being monitored?
• Is the patient being monitored for adequacy of ventilation with capnography?
• Have the patient's weight, medical conditions and other medication been taken into account before hooking the PCA to the patient?
More Articles on Anesthesia:
Anesthesiologist Dr. Nishan Goudsouzian Receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor for Charitable Service
Improving Anesthesia Performance Requires Challenging the Status Quo
ASA Continues Opposition of Recently Released $11B Federal Cuts to Medicare