Respiratory Depression in Non-Operating Room Anesthesia: An Overview.

Non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) is a rapidly growing domain for anesthesia professionals due to advances in procedural technology and increased emphasis on patient comfort. The majority of these procedures are conducted under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) where patients receive varying levels of sedation. Analysis of the Anesthesia Closed Claims database suggests that adverse respiratory events continue to be the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing NORA procedures.

Usability and Medication Error Rates of Pneumatic Versus Volumetric Pumps During a Perioperative Cardiac Surgery Simulation: A Prospective Pilot Study.

Introduction: This study compares 2 commercially available infusion pumps in a simulated cardiac surgical perioperative setting to assess differences in usability, medication errors, and programming workload among experienced and trainee healthcare professionals. Perioperative medications are frequently administered to patients via infusion pumps. Major issues in the perioperative period include medication errors, usability challenges, and workflow inefficiencies.