Date
9-2019
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Dorothy Murphy
Keywords
Capnography, Pediatric, Post Anesthesia, PACU
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Nursing
Recommended Citation
Whitley, Deborah Renee, "Significance of Capnography in Pediatric Post Anesthesia Care" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2204.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2204
Abstract
Updated clinical guidelines and professional practice standards for pediatric post-anesthesia care call for the use of capnography until the patient is awake. The purpose of this project was to champion the implementation of capnography in the pediatric post-anesthesia care unit at the project site. Monitoring capnography in addition to pulse oximetry for all pediatric post-anesthesia patients until awake was the practice change implemented. Capnography led to an increase in the number of appropriate respiratory-related nursing care interventions provided, earlier response to changes in respiratory status, and a decrease in the pediatric post-anesthesia care unit length of stay. The implications for practice include increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of nursing care as well as increasing the affordability of healthcare in the pediatric post-anesthesia care unit.
