In the recent article, “Silent Danger: PCA Pumps and the Case for Continuous Monitoring” published by Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation in Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, the story of 18-year old Amanda Abbiehl is told as a powerful reminder of the need for continuous electronic monitoring.
Amanda was admitted to hospital for “severe strep throat”, placed on a patient-controlled analgesia pump to manage her pain, and passed away – most likely because of opioid-induced respiratory depression.
In this slide share, this article has been adapted and retold.
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety wishes you the best for this holiday season. Our New Year’s Resolution is to do everything we can to eliminate tragedies like Amanda’s. Join us in making a #promise to Amanda to achieve zero preventable deaths associated with opioid-respiratory depression at your hospital.