For Immediate Release
March 22, 2010 |
For more information
contact Marlene McDowell |
Park Ridge, Ill. – Three organizations representing anesthesia professionals recently teamed up with a respected patient advocacy campaign to educate patients about intraoperative awareness, a rare condition that occurs when surgical patients can recall their surroundings or an event, and sometimes pain, during surgery under general anesthesia. Patient Awareness Under General Anesthesia, a newly updated online resource and printable brochure, is the result of a joint effort by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA), and the Anesthesia Awareness Campaign, Inc. to answer patients’ questions about this frightening occurrence.
Patient Awareness Under General Anesthesia is available as a PDF file on the AANA website at http://www.aana.com/awareness.aspx. It is free of charge to patients, anesthesia professionals, and other healthcare providers.
Educating the public about intraoperative awareness and striving to eliminate its occurrence is a high priority for all four organizations. While it is widely acknowledged that anesthesia is nearly 50 times safer today than it was in the 1980s, some degree of intraoperative awareness is estimated to occur at a frequency of approximately 1-2 in 1,000 anesthetics. Although most patients who experience awareness do not feel any pain, the occurrence can be traumatic nonetheless, and some patients may require counseling to help lessen associated feelings of confusion, stress, or trauma.
“Patient-centered care is a top priority for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs),” said AANA President James Walker, CRNA, DNP. “The more our patients understand about anesthesia issues such as awareness, the more our patients will be inclined to share important information that helps us—their anesthesia professionals—ensure a safe anesthesia experience. CRNAs welcome any and all patient questions about awareness and other anesthesia-related concerns, and strive to educate, inform, and reassure our patients so they have peace of mind prior to their anesthetic.”
Patient Awareness Under General Anesthesia explains what awareness under general anesthesia is and isn’t, and why it can happen. It discusses what researchers and anesthesia professionals are doing to lessen the chances of awareness occurring. Depending upon the type of surgery, anesthesia professionals have an array of proven technologies that can be used to monitor their patients. In addition, the brochure offers guidance to patients for discussing awareness concerns with their anesthesia professional. Patients should share with their anesthesia professional any problems they may have experienced with previous anesthetics, and also discuss any prescription or over-the-counter medications they are taking.
About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
2010 Press Release Archives
Current Press Releases