5 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
Y
ou'd like
to
believe
your
staff will
react calmly and com-
petently in the event of
a rare and potentially
fatally malignant
hyperthermia crisis,
but how can you be
sure? If you make
response training as detailed and realistic as possible, required life-sav-
ing actions will become ingrained in their collective muscle memory.
Fortunately, we've never had an MH emergency at our facility. But
we're sure our training has increased our staff's knowledge, confi-
dence and skill if we're ever faced with the real deal. Our MH drills
involve two critical components:
• Simulation-based training (SBT) that takes place in the OR and is
as close to a real-life event as we can make it.
• MH task cards that provide detailed instructions on response
tasks staff are required to follow, as well as clear explanations as to
which discipline could perform each task, and why each of the steps
are necessary.
Here's a closer look at how we prepare our team to manage a crisis
we hope they never have to face.
Julie Blakeley, BSN, RN, CNOR | Tyler, Texas
Drilled Into Memory
Combine realistic simulation with detailed task
cards to ensure your malignant hyperthermia training sticks.
• PRACTICE SESSION Staff at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System
mix sterile water with expired dantrolene during a realistic MH drill.
CHRISTUS
Trinity
Mother
Frances
Health
System
