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Article: Neuromuscular blocking agents: enhancing safety by reducing the risk of accidental administration.(ISMP Canada)
- Article from:
- Dynamics
- Article date:
- March 22, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Background
Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are considered high-alert drugs: "... drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when they are used in error." (ISMP, 2005). Focusing on high-alert medications is a good starting point to assess and enhance safety in medication use processes (prescribing, transcription, dispensing, administration, and monitoring). NMBA guidelines identifying the potential adverse events associated with use of these medications (e.g., prolonged recovery and acute quadriplegic myopathy syndrome [AQMS]) have been discussed (American College of Critical Care Medicine of the Society of Critical Care Medicine ...