Page 41 - 2022 Risk Basics - Anesthesiology

SVMIC Risk Basics: Anesthesiology

patient’s mother filed a lawsuit against the surgeon, the

anesthesiologist, and the surgical center.

The case was settled in mediation for seven figures. A
primary factor in the decision to settle the case was the

anesthesiologist’s unprofessional text comment.

The best practice is to always keep the wording of your
communication appropriate and respectful even if you think no

one else is going to see it other than the intended recipient. A
good rule of thumb is, “Would I want this communication to be

viewed by twelve jurors on a six-foot screen at my malpractice

trial?” If the answer is “No,” do not hit the SEND button.

Medication errors will be discussed later in this course and are

the third most-frequent indefensibility factor. We will also

address additional miscellaneous risk-related topics including:
positioning, dental injuries, intraoperative burns, anesthesia

awareness, and distracting devices. But, first let’s take a look at

CRNA oversight.

CRNA Oversight

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are anesthesia
professionals who administer anesthesia and perform many of

the same responsibilities as anesthesiologists. In some states,
15
CRNAs are permitted to work independently without physician

15 Approximately 45 million anesthetics are administered to patients each year in the United States
by CRNAs, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) 2018 Practice
Profile Survey. https://www.aana.com/membership/become-a-crna/crna-fact-sheet

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