Distractions during critical phases of anaesthesia for caesarean section: an observational study

Jenkins, A.; Wilkinson, J. V.; Akeroyd, M. A.; Broom, M. A.

Abstract

Aviation's 'sterile cockpit' rule holds that distractions on the flight deck should be kept at a minimum during critical phases of flight. To assess current practice at comparable points during obstetric regional anaesthesia, we measured ambient noise and distracting events during 30 caesarean sections in three phases: during establishment of regional anaesthesia; during testing of regional blockade; and after delivery of the fetal head. Mean (SD) noise levels were 62.5 (3.9) dB during establishment of blockade, 63.9 (4.1) dB during testing and 66.8 (5.0) dB after delivery (p < 0.001). The median rates of sudden, loud (> 70 dB) noises, non-clinical conversations and numbers of staff present in the operating theatre increased during each of the three phases. Conversely, entrances into, and exits from, theatre per minute were highest during establishment of regional anaesthesia and decreased over the subsequent two time periods (p < 0.001).

Citation

Jenkins, A., Wilkinson, J. V., Akeroyd, M. A., & Broom, M. A. (2015). Distractions during critical phases of anaesthesia for caesarean section: an observational study. Anaesthesia, 70(5), 543-548. https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.12979

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 14, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Dec 30, 2014
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Deposit Date: Dec 13, 2018
• Journal: Anaesthesia
• Print ISSN: 0003-2409
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2044
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 70
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 543-548
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.12979
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1410974
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/anae.12979