Terren Wortham, DNP '18; and Victoria Goode, assistant professor; recently published an article entitled "Implementation of an Obstructive Sleep Apnea Protocol in the Postanesthesia Care Unit for Patients Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery" in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. Co-authors include Dhanesh Gupta of Duke University School of Medicine and Andi Rice, former consulting associate at DUSON.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a postanesthesia care unit (PACU) obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) protocol in patients undergoing spinal fusionsurgery.

Design: The structure of this project was a preimplementation and postimplementation design.

Methods: A convenience sample of 63 patients admitted to the PACU after spinal fusion surgery, with diagnosed or high-risk OSA, was included in protocol implementation.

Findings: The prevalence of diagnosed and high-risk OSA at the project implementation site totaled 74% in the spinal fusion population. The incidence of oxygen desaturations was 41% in the preimplementation group and 35% in the postimplementation group. The PACU to intensive care unit transfers were 10% in the preimplementation group and 3% in the postimplementation group.

Conclusions: Protocols for surgical patients with OSA require further examination but may function as a guide for postoperative nursing care.