Page 7 - Part 2 Anesthesiology Common Risk Issues

SVMIC Anesthesiology: Common Risk Issues

FUNDAMENTALS: MEDICATION ERRORS

• Review patient history before ordering medication(s)

• Use standardized concentrations

» prepared by the pharmacy when possible

» in ready-to-use syringes with standardized labels

• Identify medications before drawing up and/or
administering them

» Verify with a second source (second person or

barcode reader linked to medical records)

• Keep medication drawers and workspace organized

» Separate look-like/sound-alike drugs

» Standard positioning of syringes and

ampules

Additional Indefensibility Issues

The final indefensibility factors in the SVMIC closed claims

for anesthesiology include situations involving improper
positioning, inappropriate response to an emergency, dental

injury, burns, and other OR/anesthesia mishaps, many of which
could have been prevented. The remainder of this course will

touch upon these and other miscellaneous areas of potential
risk in the anesthesia practice.

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