Policies governing anesthesia services shall be designed
to ensure the achievement and maintenance of generally accepted standards of
medical practice and patient care.
(1)
All anesthesia machines shall be numbered and reports of all equipment
inspections and routine maintenance shall be included in the anesthesia service
records. Policies and procedures shall be developed and implemented regarding
notification of equipment disorders/malfunctions to the director, to the
manufacturer and, in accordance with section
405.8 of this Part, to the
department.
(2) Written policies
regarding anesthesia procedures shall be developed and implemented which shall
clearly delineate pre-anesthesia and post-anesthesia responsibilities. These
policies shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements:
(i) Pre-anesthesia physical evaluations shall
be performed by an individual qualified to administer anesthesia and recorded
within 48 hours, prior to surgery.
(ii) Routine checks shall be conducted by the
anesthetist prior to every administration of anesthesia to ensure the
readiness, availability, cleanliness, sterility when required, and working
condition of all equipment used in the administration of anesthetic
agents.
(iii) All anesthesia care
shall be provided in accordance with generally accepted standards of practice
and shall ensure the safety of the patient during the administration, conduct
of and emergence from anesthesia. The following continuous monitoring is
required during the administration of general and regional anesthetics. Such
continuous monitoring is not required during the administration of anesthetics
administered for analgesia or during the administration of local anesthetics
unless medically indicated.
(a) An
anesthetist shall be continuously present in the operating room throughout the
administration and the conduct of all general anesthetics, regional
anesthetics, and monitored anesthesia care. If there is a documented hazard to
the anesthetist which prevents the anesthetist from being continuously present
in the operating room, provision must be made for monitoring the
patient.
(b) All patients must be
attended by the anesthetist during the emergence from anesthesia until they are
under the care of qualified post-anesthesia care staff or longer as necessary
to meet the patient's needs.
(c)
During all anesthetics, the heart sounds and breathing sounds of all patients
shall be monitored through the use of a precordial or esophageal stethoscope.
Such equipment or superior equipment shall be obtained and utilized by the
hospital.
(d) During the
administration and conduct of all anesthesia services the patient's oxygenation
shall be continuously monitored to ensure adequate oxygen concentration in the
inspired gas and the blood through the use of a pulse oximeter or superior
equipment that is age and size appropriate. During every administration of
general anesthesia using an anesthesia machine, the concentration of oxygen in
the patient's breathing system shall be measured by an oxygen analyzer with a
low oxygen concentration limit alarm.
(e) All patients' ventilation shall be
continuously monitored during the conduct of anesthesia. During regional
anesthesia, monitored anesthesia care and general anesthesia with a mask, the
adequacy of ventilation shall be evaluated through the continual observation of
the patient's qualitative clinical signs. For every patient receiving general
anesthesia with an endotracheal tube, the quantitative carbon dioxide content
of expired gases shall be monitored through the use of endtidal carbon dioxide
analysis or superior technology. In all cases where ventilation is controlled
by a mechanical ventilator, there shall be in continuous use an alarm that is
capable of detecting disconnection of any components of the breathing
system.
(f) The patient's
circulatory functions shall be continuously monitored during all anesthetics.
This monitoring shall include the continuous display of the patient's
electrocardiogram, from the beginning of anesthesia until preparation to leave
the anesthetizing location, and the evaluation of the patient's blood pressure
and heart rate at least every five minutes.
(g) During every administration of
anesthesia, there shall be immediately available a means to continuously
measure the patient's temperature.
(iv) All equipment and services provided
shall be age and size appropriate.
(v) Intraoperative anesthesia records shall
document all pertinent events that occur during the induction, maintenance, and
emergence from anesthesia. These pertinent events shall include, but not be
limited to, the following: intraoperative abnormalities or complications, blood
pressure, pulse, dosage and duration of all anesthetic agents, dosage and
duration of other drugs and intravenous fluids, and the administration of blood
and blood components. The record shall also document the general condition of
the patient.
(vi) With respect to
inpatients a post-anesthetic follow-up evaluation and report by the individual
who administered the anesthesia or by an individual qualified administer
anesthesia shall be written not less than three or more than 48 hours after
surgery and shall note the presence or absence of anesthesia related
abnormalities or complications, and shall evaluate the patient for proper
anesthesia recovery and shall document the general condition of the
patient.
(vii) With respect to
outpatients, a post-anesthesia evaluation for proper anesthesia recovery
performed in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the medical
staff shall be documented for each patient prior to hospital
discharge.
(3) Safety
precautions shall be clearly identified in written policies and procedures
specific to the department and include, but not be limited to:
(i) safety regulations posted;
(ii) routine inspection and maintenance of
equipment;
(iii) use and
maintenance of shockproof equipment;
(iv) proper grounding; and
(v) infection control.