Premium
Clinical indicators and other complications in the recovery room or postanaesthetic care unit
Author(s) -
Peskett M. J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1999.01077.x
Subject(s) - medicine , quality assurance , health care , unit (ring theory) , emergency medicine , medical emergency , external quality assessment , mathematics education , mathematics , pathology , economics , economic growth
Clinical indicators and complications occurring in the recovery room or post anaesthetic care unit were recorded for patients who had an anaesthetic procedure during 1995, 1996 and 1997 ( n = 13 266). Clinical indicators measured were those developed by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards in conjunction with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and three other indicators. All patients were assessed and positive data were collected by nursing staff on a standardised form which was checked and collated by the anaesthetist responsible for the recovery room (the author). The rates for some indicators were higher than the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards 1997 rates, but the overall rates of complications were comparable with, or lower than, those in published series. Clinical indicator data are seen as a valuable quantitative tool for quality assurance, particularly if collected as part of a more comprehensive programme.