RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PATIENT: MONITORING FOR PREVENTION

Course overview

RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION IS A SIGNIFICANT COMPLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF OPIOIDS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PAIN. EACH YEAR, AN ESTIMATED 20,000 PATIENTS REQUIRE RESCUE FROM DRUG-INDUCED RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION, AND FATALITIES ARE REPORTED REGULARLY. THIS AVOIDABLE ADVERSE EVENT IS OFTEN UNRECOGNIZED, ESPECIALLY ON THE GENERAL CARE FLOOR DUE TO DECREASED PATIENT MONITORING. THIS ACTIVITY WILL PROVIDE NURSES AND RESPIRATORY PROFESSIONALS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF POSTOPERATIVE RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION. THE PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF CENTRAL VENTILATORY DRIVE AND RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION WILL BE DISCUSSED. IN ADDITION, GAPS IN CURRENT RESPIRATORY MONITORING OF POSTOPERATIVE PATIENTS WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AND GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION OF POSTOPERATIVE RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION WILL BE DETAILED.PURPOSETHE OVERALL PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO EDUCATE LEARNERS ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF POSTOPERATIVE RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION.