sion.
During the simula-
tion, an OR staffer
stayed outside the
operating room and
acted as an MH hot-
line operator. We
noted that staffer's
cellphone number on
a sticky note and
stuck it over the MH
hotline number post-
ed on the MH cart. OR staff could call the cellphone number and sim-
ulate the experience of talking to someone on the hotline. The six
most important steps in an MH crisis are:
• recognizing the signs and symptoms, • administering the dantrolene,
• calling for help from staff, • packing the patient in ice and
• retrieving the MH cart, • calling the MH hotline.
Staff had to accomplish these objectives before our simulation ended.
It's vital to time the simulation so you can note how long it takes your
staff to complete the critical steps of a response –– such as when they
first recognized the signs and symptoms of a crisis and retrieved the MH
cart. Our staff brought the MH cart into the OR in an average of 3.67
minutes from the onset of signs (that weren't obviously MH), which was
fast. Then they administered the dantrolene in an average of 8.6 minutes,
which met our goal to have this task completed in 10 minutes or less.
4. Debrief and discuss
Gather the team after the simulation to reinforce teachable
moments. What went well? What improvements can be made? What
3 4 • 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 • J U L Y 2 0 2 0
STARRING ROLE After names are drawn from a bucket at random, they are
assigned roles –– RN Circulator #1, RN Circulator #2, surgical technician and
runner –– for the simulation.
VA
Southern
Nevada
Healthcare
System
