Use of A Decision Support Guide to Assist CRNAs in Preventing Surgical Fires: A Quality Improvement Project

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Erin Brackett (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Surgical fires are significant events that can result in severe injury or even death for patients and healthcare staff. Despite many initiatives led by the FDA, Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, surgical fires still occur. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess anesthesia providers’ perceptions of adequacy of a newly developed Perioperative Fire Prevention Guide. Implementation took place at a rural community hospital affiliated with a large academic medical center in a southeastern state. Two participants received a Qualtrics pre-intervention questionnaire, a newly developed Perioperative Fire Prevention Guide, and a presentation of the guide. The participants implemented the use of the guide into their practice over a two-week period. They then completed a Qualtrics post-implementation questionnaire that assessed their perceptions of the adequacy of the guide regarding completeness, accuracy, efficiency, and relevance to their practice. Overall, both participants were confident in their ability to identify high-risk procedures but less confident in their knowledge regarding case specific perioperative fire prevention strategies and felt an easily accessible reference guide would be supportive. The best way for healthcare systems to align with the initiative to decrease perioperative fires is to offer continuing education to staff, provide resource material that is efficiently obtained, implement policy regarding fire risk assessments, and integrate surgical fire prevention into educational simulation. Limitations of this project include small sample size (n=2), convenience sampling, and time constraints due to a busy work environment and limited staffing.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Brackett, E. T. (2021). Use of a decision support guide to assist crnas in preventing surgical fires: A quality improvement project [DNP Scholarly Project, East Carolina University]. The ScholarShip.

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

CRNA, fire, prevention, guide

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