Outpatient Surgery Magazine - Subscribers

A Deep Dive Into Surface Disinfection - October 2017 - Outpatient Surgery Magazine

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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4 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 • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 5 Tips for Safely Handling Sleep Apnea Patients Pamela Bevelhymer, RN, BSN, CNOR Most of your obstructive sleep apnea patients don't even know they have it. Timothy P. Schmidt, CRNA | St. Petersburg Fla. • SAFE OUTCOME Sleep apnea, which is often undiagnosed, increases a patient's anesthetic risk. A s a nurse anesthetist who works in a variety of surgical settings, from office-based suites to trauma hospitals, I can expect to encounter at least one patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) almost every day — either diagnosed or undiagnosed. Interestingly, up to 85% of people with OSA are undiagnosed, and research indicates that up to 30% of patients undergoing routine endoscopy either have OSA or are at a high risk for a positive screen. I consider properly handling OSA one of my top priorities. Here's my 5-point plan designed to make sure OSA patients have a safe and uneventful perioperative experience.

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