Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Manager's Guide to Staff & Patient Safety - October 2016

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 1 1 We followed the ambulance to the hospital, where we were allowed into the trauma room. The attending physi- cian said he wanted us to sit next to Logan, to talk to him. His father was on his left side, just sobbing, and I was on his right side pleading with him to try harder and to hang on. I rubbed his face and his arms. I told him how much I needed him. Then the doctor told us that there wasn't anything they could do to make Logan's heart start again. I let out a very loud wail that frightened even me. The doctor put his hand on my shoulder and told me that it was time to say goodbye. Logan died just 2 weeks before his senior year of high school, the victim of opi- oid-induced hypoxia. Now that it's been over 9 years since Logan slipped out of my hands, I have a clearer under- standing about the changes that need to occur as healthcare providers continue to strive for zero patient harm. The memory of Logan and the desire to prevent another mother from experiencing the devas- tation I have endured has inspired me to come up with these 3 keys to improving patient safety. 1 Establish appropriate- ness of care Before patients arrive, ensure O n July 23, 2007, my 17-year-old son, Logan Parker, underwent successful surgery at a freestand- ing ASC to correct his sleep apnea. He received IV morphine in the PACU: 2 mg administered 3 times over 20 min- utes beginning at 12:50 p.m. His IV was removed 8 minutes later and he was discharged at 1:25 p.m., just 15 minutes after his last dose. A few hours later, as he recovered at home, Logan stopped breathing. Although I'm a recovery room nurse at a local hospi- tal, I never imagined my son would become my patient. I immediately began to perform mouth-to- mouth resuscitation. A few minutes later, Logan's heart stopped and I began chest compressions until the paramedics arrived. They intubated him on the floor of my living room before transporting him to a local hospital.

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