Page 25 - 2022 Risk Basics - Anesthesiology
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SVMIC Risk Basics: Anesthesiology
the narrative while the events are fresh in your mind,
especially in the event of an unexpected outcome.
The failure of the anesthesiologist to document his or her
presence in the operating room for induction and emergence
led to allegations of improper CRNA oversight in several of the
claims. The anesthesiologist must be available during these
times, and his or her availability should be noted in the record.
The position of patients during anesthesia, padding, and eye
protection is an essential responsibility of the anesthesiology
team. Allegations of nerve damage leading to permanent
disabilities cannot be defended as successfully with insufficient
notes.
Taking a timeout prior to blocks or placing arterial lines is a
vital patient safety and team coordination measure. Your active
involvement in the timeout is to verify the patient’s identity, to
check the consent for the correct procedure, correct side,
correct site, and correct position. Organize timeouts for any
anesthetic blocks. If multiple surgeons are performing multiple
procedures, a timeout should take place before each one, and
these should be well-documented in the record.
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