Introduction
The title of the brochure selected for this particular report is Speak Up: Anesthesia and Sedation published in 2015 with an intention of highlighting key issues associated with the administering of anesthetics and sedatives. The brochure seeks to provide patients, intending to go for surgical procedures, with information on the usage of anesthetics and sedatives, which are common in the health care system during surgical procedures. The Joint Commission (2015) indicates that health workers in the United States alone administer approximately 40 million anesthetics annually. The figure may be higher depending on the number of patients intending to go surgical procedures as part of their treatment for a wide array of medical issues. Consequently, this highlights the need for engaging in an in-depth review of this particular brochure that would provide these patients with the necessary information on the types of anesthesia, information to share with health workers as well as some of the key precautions that patients ought to take.
Summary of the Brochure
The first key topic discussed in the brochure is the main types of anesthesia, which are common within the health care system in the United States. The brochure highlights two main types of anesthesia, which are regional and local anesthesia. Regional anesthesia results in the loss of ability for one to seek in a specific region within the body, which provides a leeway for health professionals to engage in surgical processes (The Joint Commission, 2015). On the other hand, local anesthesia results in the loss of feelings in a small and specific area within the body for the same intentions.
The second key area discussed in the brochure is the effects of sedation, which seek to describe what patients may expect through the administration of sedatives that seek to create that relaxed feeling. The three main effects highlighted are relaxed and awake, relaxed and drowsy, and drowsy to light sleeping (Foon, Toozs-Hobson, & Cooper, 2010). Chatman, Sutherland, van der Zwan, and Abraham (2013) argue that health providers must be willing to provide their patients with such information, as this would help them understand what to expect with regard to the sedatives used.
The third key area discussed is on some of the information that patients must be willing to share with their health care providers before administration of anesthesia and sedation. In this section, the brochure seeks to encourage communication between patients and health care providers, as this would ensure that health providers are able to use the information shared to select an anesthesia with minimal effects (The Joint Commission, 2015).
Lastly, the brochure seeks to provide patients with information on actions to take before engaging in a surgical process as well as some of the dos and don’ts based on the administration of sedatives and anesthetics. The brochure creates a comprehensive coverage of the administration of sedatives and anesthetics with an intention of increasing awareness among patients going through surgical procedures.
Evaluation of the Brochure
A review of the brochure indicates the Joint Commission did well in creating a separation to the different topics discussed in the brochure. However, it would have been important for the commission to expound more on the types of anesthesia, as this would provide patients with a comprehensive understanding of each extensively. Currently, the brochure only provides readers with an overview of the types of anesthesia, which creates limitations in terms of expectations.
My interest in this subject came about due to my understanding that majority of the patients going through surgical procedures do not have the expected level of understanding on anesthesia and sedation. In my view, it would be important to share such information especially when dealing with the dos and don’ts, as this would ensure that patients understand how to prevent any negative outcomes associated administration of anesthetics and sedatives.
The information provided in the brochure was beneficial to me, as it helped enhance or expand my knowledge on usage of anesthetics and sedatives, which is becoming a common occurrence among health providers. I believe that it would be essential for me to incorporate such information in my patient education in a bid to ensuring that patients become aware of what to expect with regard to the administration of anesthetics and sedatives.
The brochure presents the necessary information clearly, which ensures that patients intending to use such information would be in a position to engage the brochure effectively. The main beneficiaries of the information highlighted within the brochure are patients intending to engage in a surgical procedure, as the information seeks to provide them with an overview, as well as, effects of the anesthetics and sedatives used.
The information provided would help increase patient safety, as it would ensure that health workers have a basic understanding of specific medical issues that would limit usage of anesthetics and sedatives. The brochure seeks to highlight the need for patients to share specific information with their health providers or anesthesia professions, which would seek to increase the possibility of success in limiting some of the negative outcomes expected. In addition, the information seeks to increase patient safety by highlighting some of the key activities that patients ought not to engage in administration of anesthetics and sedatives before surgical procedures.
Conclusion
The brochure selected for this report focuses on Speak Up: Anesthesia and Sedation where a big number of health providers in the United States have embraced usage of anesthetics and sedatives before engaging in surgical procedures. The information provided would be vital for patients intending to go through surgical procedures, as it seeks to highlight some of the dos and don’ts associated with anesthesia and sedation. In addition, the brochure seeks to encourage communication between patients and health providers, as it highlights key information that a patient must seek to share before administration of anesthetics and sedatives.
References
Chatman, N., Sutherland, J. R., van der Zwan, R., & Abraham, N. (2013). A survey of patient understanding and expectations of sedation/anaesthesia for colonoscopy. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 41(3), 369-373.
Foon, R., Toozs-Hobson, P., & Cooper, G. (2010). Anaesthesia for incontinence surgery: Spinal anaesthesia or sedation? Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 30(6), 605-608.
The Joint Commission. (2015). Speak Up: Anesthesia and Sedation. Retrieved January 14, 2017, from https://www.jointcommission.org/topics/speak_up_anesthesia_and_sedation.aspx
