J U LY 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 2 9
5. Who's responsible for
recognizing a crisis?
Every
member of your surgical team must
be able to recognize an event and
implement life-saving protocols. In
one case I helped manage on the
MHAUS hotline, a nurse substituted
for a colleague mid-procedure and,
because of her fresh perspective,
noticed an event occurring that had
escaped detection by everyone else
in the room.
6. What's the best way to
prep for MH?
Focus all your
efforts on preparing dantrolene for administration and contact local emergency
response services to transfer the patient to a local hospital as quickly as possible.
Every member of the surgical team should have specific assignments that they
master during practice sessions, so they react almost instinctually during an
emergent situation. For example:
• Surgeons. End the procedure as soon as possible and help reconstitute
dantrolene.
• Anesthesia providers. Stop the administration of inhalation agents, hyper-
ventilate the patient with 100% oxygen, discontinue warming devices, initiate
cooling and help administer dantrolene. After the initial dose (2.5 mg/kg) has
been administered, they may need to give up to as much as, or more than, 10
mg/kg to stabilize the patient for transfer to the nearest hospital.
• Nurses. Call for immediate help from all available staffers, retrieve the MH
cart, coordinate the mixing of dantrolene, direct a designated staff member to
• READY TO ROLL Make sure needed supplies are current and easily
accessible, because MH can strike any patient at any time and during
any procedure involving triggering agents.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
