Anesthesiologists face many issues, one of the most important being drug shortages. These drug shortages are on some of the most vital anesthetics, those used on a daily basis. These shortages result in numerous problems not only for the physicians, but also for the patients because it creates different side effects and creates hazards in the hospitals. Although still developing, some solutions have risen that might help alleviate the drug shortages even though they are not as effective as expected.
Many of the drugs on shortage are used on a day to day basis. Besides that, the amount of drugs on shortage have increased significantly over the years. On a nationwide survey, the majority of anesthesiologists confirmed at least one drug on shortage, and also reported that the substitute affected the patient more than the actual drug would have (“Grassroots Group Says Anesthesia Drug Shortage Caused by GPOs”). This means that patients would have longer recovery time, which lowers the number of surgeries that can be performed within a specific time period. The drug shortage has become so widespread that even the federal government is interested now. The fact that the federal government has gotten involved shows just how serious the issue has become. Between 2005 and 2010, the drug shortage has become so severe that it has almost tripled (“Drug Shortages Fact Sheet”). The majority of hospitals reported experiencing a drug shortage which affected the patients’ surgeries, cancer treatments and pain control. Examples of the drugs on shortage include propofol, which is a short-acting sedative, and succinylcholine, which is used in rapid sequence intubation. The drug propofol is ideally used in ambulatory situations (Rabinowitz). Another sh...
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“Technological advancements in anesthesia practice: Role of decision support system.” Anesthesia: Essays and Researches. January 8, 2014. Web. October 23, 2015. There have been many advancements in technology in the anesthesia field. A recent major advancement has been the decision support system (DSS). The decision support system acts similar to a second human central nervous system, and receives as well as relays information to and from the patient and the anesthesia information management system (AIMS). The DSS helps to maintain the data coming into and out of the patient during a medical procedure. The DSS also provides help during a medical crisis, giving the physicians a solution if an intra-operation (during the operation) crisis happens. The DSS can also design various scenarios for pre, intra, and post operation scenarios for the anesthesiologist to prepare for based on that patient’s medical history, information, and
2) “It’s difficult to determine who provides anesthesia care in the studies and the number of cases that actually involved a physician anesthesiologist (p. 11)” the ASA is claiming that the data collected and used in this review, are difficult to determine who did what and when. In other words it is unclear as to who was performing and providing care in these studies and very well could be, the care provided by an anesthesiologist. They say also that the data provided and used by the study has limiting factors to determine whether an anesthesiologist was available as needed, for rescue or advice by a patient being treated by a nurse anesthetist if they were to experience complications under the
This book has a detailed account of the discovery and controversy over anesthesia. I used this book mostly for its primary documents. It was extremely useful.
If the drug is being used primarily to treat severe pain not responsive to other analgesics, in a painful terminal condition, (such as advanced widespread cancer), it may ...
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company, 1994. Print.
Currently, through observations and clinical experience on Med/Surg at Cary Medical Center, medication is administered by the nurse. Nurses are responsible and accountable for administrating medications to patients. Patient me...
Every day there is a constant trust adhered to many different people in the profession of Nursing—the decision of what will help patients in terms of medicine, and the confidence to make these decisions. One false act or one slight misdiagnoses of medication to a patient could be the prime factor in whether the patient lives or dies. Nurses in hospitals across the country are spread thin, and thus makes the probability of mistakes higher. If a medicinal dose is off by even one decimal a patient could die, so the only real answer is for nurses to not be afraid to ask for assistance, always follow procedure and voice opinion is they feel something is wrong.
The scene is a 19th century home; a man knocks on the door for his appointment. The door opens and standing there is the doctor in a stiff, dry, blood-covered smock. The man is there for surgery and the doctor leads him to his designated operating room. As the doctor sets the man down in the chair, the man sees the dry blood and sharp instruments. He starts to have second thoughts on the surgery and struggles to get away. Two of the doctor’s assistants hold him down as the doctor gives him a blow to the head to knock his patient out. The poor man screams in agony as he awakes from the doctor beginning his operation. Stories such as that one are now only distant memories of the past. This is all thanks to a drug called ether that renders people unconscious so that they are out cold for the surgery and won’t feel any pain. The discovery of ether transformed the medical world and led to multiple forms of anesthesia for many pain free surgeries leading to even better outcomes in the future.
Potent pain medication contains the aspects of utilizing medications such as morphine or demerol, how the medications are dispensed, and t...
Anesthesia is used in almost every single surgery. It is a numbing medicine that numbs the nerves and makes the body go unconscious. You can’t feel anything or move while under the sedative and are often delusional after being taken off of the anesthetic. Believe it or not, about roughly two hundred years ago doctors didn’t use anesthesia during surgery. It was rarely ever practiced. Patients could feel everything and were physically held down while being operated on. 2It wasn’t until 1846 that a dentist first used an anesthetic on a patient going into surgery and the practice spread and became popular (Anesthesia). To this day, advancements are still being made in anesthesiology. 7The more scientists learn about molecules and anesthetic side effects, the better ability to design agents that are more targeted, more effective and safer, with fewer side effects for the patients (Anesthesia). Technological advancements will make it easier to read vital life signs in a person and help better decide the specific dosages a person needs.
Webster CS, Merry AF, Larsson L, McGrath KA, Weller J. The frequency and nature of drug administration error during anaesthesia. Anaesth Intensive Care 2001; 29: 494-500.
Oral sedation dentistry (a. k. a sleep dentistry) is a medical procedure which has to do with the administration of oral sedative drugs, used to facilitate a dental procedure and to reduce patients solicitude, troubles and distress related to the experience.
Doctors can prescribe drugs that can be as addicting as street drugs. When a patient is at the hospital, doctors will prescribe many drugs to help the patient get better, like ...
In the present day there is a harsh stigma towards the use of opioid narcotic medication. Stories of addiction and overdose are passed around. The media is brimming with panic over the use of these medications. By and large, this can be seen as more of an overdose crisis than an opioid crisis. Federal and medical guidelines for prescribing opioid medications have changed drastically over the last several years because of this epidemic. Unfortunately, due to the increasing level of abuse that these medications are associated with, people with chronic pain are untreated, undermedicated, and suffering. Opiate narcotics, when used properly by responsible patients, are invaluable in alleviating acute or chronic cases of moderate to severe pain.
Pharmacology is a vital component in the perioperative practice. Medication use is monitored closely during the perioperative period. Preoperatively, there are certain drugs that must be discontinued prior to a surgery as they increase surgical risk, including anticoagulants, tranquillisers, corticosteroids and diuretics (Laws, 2010b). In fact, these drugs can increase the risk of respiratory depression, infection, fluid and electrolyte imbalance and increased risk of bleeding (Hamlin, 2010). Open communication is important in obtaining a medication history, and in identifying the drugs taken prior to the surgery. If any of these medications has be...