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Implementing a Protocol for Attenuating Spinal-Induced Hypotension with Prophylactic Phenylephrine Infusion

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2024-05
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Problem: Spinal anesthetics are administered as an alternative to general anesthesia to reduce postoperative complications, improve pain management, and decrease consumption of narcotic medications. However, they are often associated with an increased risk of potentially deleterious hemodynamic disturbances. At a rural community-based hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region, up to 75% of patients receiving spinal anesthesia experience spinal-induced hypotension (SIH). Purpose: The primary goal of this quality improvement project was to achieve 100% compliance with a protocol for initiating a low-dose phenylephrine infusion concomitantly with the administration of a spinal anesthetic to decrease the incidence and severity of hypotensive episodes. Methods: Educational materials and evidence-based practice references were presented to the anesthesia providers prior to initiation of the implementation phase, achieving 100% attendance with anesthesia staff. A protocol for the attenuation of SIH was created and approved for use at the institution. Anesthesia providers initiated a low-dose phenylephrine infusion concomitantly with the administration of spinal anesthetics throughout a 15-week period. The REDCap database was used to confidentially track compliance with the protocol maintaining HIPPA compliance. Fifteen anesthesia providers participated in this project. Results: Protocol education and evidence-based practice materials were received by 100% of anesthesia providers. Ninety-two patients who received spinal anesthesia were included in the project data with six patients excluded. Providers were compliant with the protocol in 79 patients, and non-compliant in seven. In weeks one and 15, compliance was 100%. Median protocol compliance was 80%. Conclusions: Findings suggest the implementation of a SIH attenuation protocol is effective in eliciting practice change and adoption of evidence-based practice amongst anesthesia providers.

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