Overview
The use of anesthesia, sedation, and surgical interventions are common and complex processes in a health care organization. They require complete and comprehensive patient assessment, integrated care planning, continued patient monitoring, and criteria-determined transfer for continuing care, rehabilitation, and eventual transfer and discharge.
Anesthesia and sedation are commonly viewed as a continuum from minimal sedation to full anesthesia. As patient response may move along that continuum, anesthesia and sedation use are organized in an integrated manner. Thus, this chapter includes anesthesia and moderate and deep sedation, during which the patient’s protective reflexes needed for ventilatory functions are at risk. This chapter does not address the use of minimal sedation (anxiolysis). Thus, the use of the term “anesthesia” includes moderate and deep sedation.
Note: The anesthesia and surgery standards are applicable in whatever setting anesthesia and/or moderate or deep sedation are used and surgical and other invasive procedures that require consent (also see PFR.6.4) are performed. Such settings include hospital operating theatres, day surgery or day hospital units, dental and other outpatient clinics, emergency services, intensive care areas, or elsewhere.
Standards
The following is a list of all standards for this function. They are presented here for your convenience without their intent statements or measurable elements. For more information about these standards, please see the next section in this chapter, Standards, Intents, and Measurable Elements.
Organization and Management
ASC.1 Anesthesia services (including moderate and deep sedation) are available to meet patient needs, and all such services meet applicable local and national standards, laws, and regulations and professional standards.
ASC.2 A qualified individual(s) is responsible for managing the anesthesia services (including moderate and deep sedation).
Sedation Care
ASC.3 Policies and procedures guide the care of patients undergoing moderate and deep sedation.