The mission of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety is to improve patient safety by reducing adverse events and malpractice claims through the application of currently available knowledge and technology. We believe that patient safety is healthcare’s ultimate “win-win”.
“A checklist would help to avoid simple but recurrent errors in packaging and programming the PCA.”
“One action that VHA has taken to address this high error incident rate is to use a PCA pump that has an integrated end tidal CO2 monitor or capnograph. A capnograph measures in real-time the adequacy of ventilation. Using this technology could prevent more than 60 percent of adverse events related to PCA pumps.
“In addition, we developed a standard protocol that looks at the other key issues that need to be addressed for safe use of PCA pumps: human factors (communication, training, fatigue and scheduling); the environment and equipment, rules, policies and procedures, and barriers and controls.”