4 6 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
scheduler or members of your business team to help if you work in a smaller
facility. They can perform non-nursing duties such as collecting ice to cool the
patient or placing phone calls to the MHAUS hotline (800-644-9737). Our hos-
pital's maintenance crew is also on call, because they can quickly bring 5-gal-
lon buckets full of ice up from the kitchen, which we bag and place around
the patient.
5. Ensure leaders take charge of the room
Proper response to an MH emergency requires fast action by a well-prepared
team, but their success or failure to save a life rests on the level of loud and
clear communication that occurs during a true emergency. Every member of
the staff needs to be aware of who's in the room and must be constantly
dantrolene dose based on 2.5 mg/kg
• Draws up dantrolene in 60 ml
syringes
• Alerts clinical coordinator supervisor
of suspected MH
• Alerts clinical coordinator supervisor
that dantrolene is being used and
more might be needed
First responding nurse
• Assists in mixing dantrolene
Second responding nurse
• Brings in defibrillator and charges it
• Sets additional IV line
• Places urinary catheter and begins
irrigation
• Draws (or assists in drawing) blood
for needed lab tests
• Assist with other tasks as needed,
including the mixing of dantrolene
PACU nurse
• Sets up capnography
• Sets up cardiovascular monitors
Clinical coordinator
• Assigns tasks as needed
• Stands by for additional assistance as
needed
• Confirms availability of
additional dantrolene dose
• Calls first responders
