Virginia Chris Simmons

Journal Article Journal of perioperative practice · July 2022 Patients with risk factors for gastroparesis are at increased risk for aspiration into the tracheobronchial tree. Current American Society of Anesthesiologists fasting guidelines use subjective measures to determine aspiration risk. A gastric ultrasound pr ... Full text Cite

Fast-Tracking Patients in an Academic Hospital to Increase Efficiency and Decrease Discharge Delays: A Process Improvement Plan.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · December 2021 PurposeThe purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if implementing a Phase II postanesthesia care unit (PACU II) to fast-track patients following surgery in an academic hospital would decrease OR hold times and increase patien ... Full text Cite

Implementation of a Postoperative Electronic Health Record Alert for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Patients.

Journal Article J Perianesth Nurs · August 2021 PURPOSE: Approximately 2% of surgical patients have an existing cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). Perioperative device reprogramming requires postoperative care to ensure that device settings are restored. Electronic health record (EHR) alerts ... Full text Link to item Cite

A deep learning approach to student registered nurse anesthetist (SRNA) education.

Journal Article International journal of nursing education scholarship · June 2021 ObjectivesThis manuscript describes the application of deep learning to physiology education of Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNA) and the benefits thereof. A strong foundation in physiology and the ability to apply this knowledge to cha ... Full text Cite

Intraoperative waste segregation initiative among anesthesia personnel to contain disposal costs.

Journal Article Waste management (New York, N.Y.) · March 2021 Approximately 90% of medical waste generated in the operating room (OR) is considered to be non-infectious and non-regulated (Wyssusek, Keys & van Zundert, 2019). Frequently, this waste is inappropriately disposed of into infectious regulated medical waste ... Full text Cite

Implementation of a Multimodal Analgesia Protocol Among Outpatient Neurosurgical Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery to Improve Patient Outcomes.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · February 2021 PurposeThis quality improvement project implemented an evidence-based multimodal analgesia protocol among patients undergoing outpatient spine surgery in an attempt to decrease postoperative opioid requirements, postoperative pain scores, and faci ... Full text Cite

Optimizing Nursing Response to In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Events Using In Situ Simulation

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · December 1, 2020 Background: In-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA) in the United States have a 21% survival-to-hospital discharge rate. This quality improvement project aimed to improve Basic Life Support–trained nursing staff responses to IHCAs at a large academic teaching h ... Full text Cite

Developing and implementing an emergency robotic undocking protocol at a community hospital

Journal Article Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice · December 1, 2020 Background: Robotic-assisted surgery is an increasingly prevalent technique that offers benefits to surgeon and patient. Inherent safety concerns exist with surgical robots yet can be mitigated by developing an emergency robotic undocking protocol (ERUP) a ... Full text Cite

Usability Assessment of an Electronic Handoff Tool to Facilitate and Improve Postoperative Communication Between Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit Staff.

Journal Article Computers, informatics, nursing : CIN · October 2020 The handoff or handover is the exchange of pertinent medical information from one provider to another. Inadequate handoff communication between healthcare providers can negatively impact patient outcomes. In an effort to improve handoff communication, many ... Full text Cite

Recertification and Reentry to Practice for Nurse Anesthetists Using High-Fidelity Simulation: Phase III

Journal Article Journal of Nursing Regulation · October 1, 2020 The National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) uses high-fidelity simulation for high-stakes competency assessment as a part of the Reentry Program. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to develop and vali ... Full text Cite

Using Simulation With Deliberate Practice to Improve Pediatric ICU Nurses' Knowledge, Clinical Teamwork, and Confidence.

Journal Article Journal of pediatric nursing · September 2020 PurposeThe purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an educational intervention involving High-Fidelity Simulation (HFS) with deliberate practice for low-frequency, high-impact events in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), ... Full text Cite

Integrating the STOP-Bang Questionnaire Into the Preanesthetic Assessment at a Military Hospital.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · August 2020 PurposeThis quality improvement project integrated the STOP-Bang (Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Age, Neck circumference, male Gender) questionnaire into the preanesthetic assessment to identify patients at ri ... Full text Cite

Perioperative Anesthetic Techniques to Reduce Surgical Morbidity After Amputation.

Journal Article AANA journal · August 2020 Anesthetic modalities to mitigate the development of phantom limb pain have not been standardized into an evidence-based, multimodal anesthesia protocol to promote improved patient outcomes. This quality improvement project involved the implementation of a ... Cite

NVM for Prevention of Upper Airway Obstruction.

Journal Article AANA journal · January 2020 Cite

Implementation of Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 Frailty Tool to Identify At-Risk Geriatric Surgical Patients.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · October 2019 PurposeThe primary purpose of this project was to preoperatively identify frail and vulnerable geriatric patients aged 65 or older using the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13) tool, and to use those scores to assist with perioperative decision-maki ... Full text Cite

Reducing Preventable Surgical Cancellations: Improving the Preoperative Anesthesia Interview Process.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · October 2019 PurposeThorough and accurate preoperative anesthesia interviews may help improve perioperative efficiency by reducing unnecessary preoperative testing and preventable surgical cancellations, both of which create financial burdens. Standardized ane ... Full text Cite

Exploring Suspension of Disbelief Among Graduate and Undergraduate Nursing Students

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · October 1, 2019 Background: The nature and process of suspending disbelief is complex, subjective, and has not been well researched in clinical simulation. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach with semistructured interviews explored student experiences of susp ... Full text Cite

Nasal Ventilation Mask for Prevention of Upper Airway Obstruction in Patients With Obesity or Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Journal Article AANA journal · October 2019 This project aimed to develop and implement a nasal ventilation mask (NVM) guideline to reduce the incidence of airway obstruction in outpatients undergoing endoscopy procedures. An observational design was used to evaluate implementation of an NVM guideli ... Cite

Low-Dose Ketamine Infusion to Decrease Postoperative Delirium for Spinal Fusion Patients.

Journal Article J Perianesth Nurs · August 2019 PURPOSE: The primary aim of this project was to decrease the incidence of postoperative delirium after spine surgery. DESIGN: A prospective preimplementation and postimplementation design was used. METHODS: A reduced dose ketamine protocol was implemented ... Full text Link to item Cite

Pulmonary Artery Catheters: Impact of e-Learning on Hemodynamic Assessments.

Journal Article Critical care nursing quarterly · July 2019 Pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) are invasive devices placed in critically ill patients to monitor hemodynamic data. They are a high-risk, and in some settings a low-volume, medical device due to the complex insertion procedure and potentially lethal comp ... Full text Cite

Recertification and Reentry to Practice for Nurse Anesthetists, Phase II: Evaluating Reentry to Anesthesia Practice Using High-Fidelity Simulation Technology

Journal Article Journal of Nursing Regulation · July 1, 2019 Background: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) who fail to comply with the Continued Professional Certification Program, or those out of practice for an extended time, must recertify with the National Board of Certification and Recertification ... Full text Cite

Implementation of Physiological Scoring to Determine Discharge Readiness for Patients Undergoing Otolaryngology Head and Neck Procedures.

Journal Article J Perianesth Nurs · June 2019 PURPOSE: This quality improvement project examined whether the use of a validated physiological scoring protocol to determine discharge readiness for surgical procedures proximal to the airway would decrease the time at which discharge criteria were met an ... Full text Link to item Cite

Perinatal IPE simulation can improve collaborative competencies

Journal Article Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice · June 1, 2019 Full text Cite

Improving Emergency Airway Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Levels of Outpatient Gastroenterology Staff via Implementation of Online Education and In Situ Simulation.

Journal Article Gastroenterology nursing : the official journal of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates · May 2019 Twenty percent of all ambulatory surgery cases utilizing monitored anesthesia care and sedation report at least one perioperative respiratory complication such as bronchospasm, hypoxia, laryngospasm, or aspiration (). However, the national Standards of Pra ... Full text Cite

Preemptive Oral Acetaminophen for Women Undergoing Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

Journal Article Nursing for women's health · April 2019 ObjectiveTo decrease hospital expenses by administering oral acetaminophen rather than intravenous (IV) acetaminophen to women who undergo laparoscopic hysterectomy.DesignA quality improvement project using a between-groups, pre-/postimpl ... Full text Cite

Multimodal Pain Management for Major Joint Replacement Surgery.

Journal Article Orthopedic nursing · March 2019 Effective pain management for orthopaedic major joint replacement is key to achieving earlier recovery, better functioning, and high rates of patient satisfaction. In an effort to decrease opioid dependency, practitioners are turning to multimodal pain man ... Full text Cite

Administration of Oral Acetaminophen to Reduce Costs for the Hysterectomy Patient at a Community Hospital.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · February 2019 PurposeThis quality improvement project aimed to change the practice of administration route of acetaminophen from intravenous (IV) to oral to patients having a hysterectomy at a community hospital, reduce costs, and maintain postanesthesia care u ... Full text Cite

Preoperative Risk Assessment to Guide Prophylaxis and Reduce the Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · February 2019 PurposeThis article describes the implementation of a postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) risk prediction and prophylaxis protocol.DesignThis is a retrospective pre/post implementation quality improvement project.MethodsThis ... Full text Cite

Perianesthetic Implications and Considerations for Myasthenia Gravis.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · February 2019 Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease in which antibodies against the post-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction develop. Although the exact cause of MG remains unknown, the thymus is a common factor ... Full text Cite

Transgender Simulation Scenario Pilot Project.

Journal Article Clinical simulation in nursing · January 2019 BackgroundTransgender people often experience inequities, discrimination, and violence within health care environments by ill-informed health care professionals. Simulation has been beneficial in increasing students' knowledge about transgender he ... Full text Cite

High-Fidelity Simulation Training for Nurse Anesthetists Managing Malignant Hyperthermia: A Quality Improvement Project

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · January 1, 2019 Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a low-frequency, high-impact event that many certified registered nurse anesthetists may be unprepared to manage due to limited clinical experience. Method: A pretest, posttest, repeated-measures design was used t ... Full text Cite

In Situ Simulation to Improve Management of In-Hospital Strokes: Unexpected Challenges

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · November 1, 2018 Background: In-hospital strokes are life-threatening emergencies that require prompt and skillful treatment to prevent poor patient outcomes. Currently, however, a national gap in care exists for patients who experience an in-hospital stroke. Methods: Mult ... Full text Cite

Reply.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · October 2018 Full text Cite

Pediatric Review and Perioperative Considerations.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · June 2018 Perioperative management of pediatric patients demands knowledge of the relevant ways in which pediatric physiology and physiological regulation differs from the adult. This article will outline some of these most pertinent differences, and also present cu ... Full text Cite

Multimodal Perioperative Analgesia Regimen to Improve Patient Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Project.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · April 2018 PurposeThe primary aim of this quality improvement project was to improve mobilization for patients after total knee arthroscopy by developing and implementing a standardized, evidence-based, multimodal analgesia regimen and patient-educational vi ... Full text Cite

A Quality Improvement Project Using High-Fidelity Simulation Training to Improve Clinical Knowledge among Critical Care Transport Nurses

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · January 1, 2018 Background To cultivate clinical expertise, many critical care transport (CCT) programs have engaged simulation as a means of providing ongoing clinical education for crewmembers. Method A pretest, posttest, repeated-measures design was used to evaluate wh ... Full text Cite

Recertification and Reentry to Practice for Nurse Anesthetists: Determining Core Competencies and Evaluating Performance via High-Fidelity Simulation Technology

Journal Article Journal of Nursing Regulation · January 1, 2018 Introduction The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists addressed a barrier to return to practice of uncertified practitioners by replacing required direct patient care experiences with high-fidelity simulation. Objectiv ... Full text Cite

Evaluating the Implementation of a Preemptive, Multimodal Analgesia Protocol in a Plastic Surgery Office.

Journal Article Plastic surgical nursing : official journal of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgical Nurses · October 2017 Many patients undergoing plastic surgery experience significant pain postoperatively. The use of preemptive, multimodal analgesia techniques to reduce postoperative pain has been widely described in the literature. This quality improvement project evaluate ... Full text Cite

Creation of a Low-Cost Simulated Trachea for Deliberate Practice of Cricothyrotomy and Retrograde Wire Use.

Journal Article AANA journal · August 2017 Simulation is an accepted teaching tool that focuses on active learning and is used to solidify cognitive, motor, critical thinking, and communication skills. This method of experiential learning was introduced and integrated into the distance-based degree ... Cite

Reducing Surgery Cancellations at a Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Center.

Journal Article AORN journal · April 2017 Surgery cancellations are costly and can be frustrating for patients, their families, and the surgical team. Because of the inherent nature of an ambulatory surgery center, which only performs scheduled elective procedures, surgical cancellations typically ... Full text Cite

Point-of-Contact Assessment of Nurse Anesthetists' Knowledge and Perceptions of Management of Anesthesia-Related Critical Incidents.

Journal Article AANA journal · February 2017 Most anesthesia providers will experience at least one perioperative critical incident during their career, potentially causing critical incident stress symptoms that may affect their ability to provide patient care. The purpose of this descriptive pilot i ... Cite

Exploring Suspension of Disbelief During Simulation-Based Learning

Journal Article Clinical Simulation in Nursing · January 1, 2017 Rooted in aviation and used consistently in the training and preparation of health care professionals for decades, simulation is an innovative teaching strategy that facilitates experiential learning in a safe learning environment. Effective simulation hin ... Full text Cite

Framework for Teaching Psychomotor and Procedural Skills in Nursing.

Journal Article Journal of continuing education in nursing · June 2016 The development of psychomotor and procedural skills requires opportunities for repetitive practice combined with specific, informational feedback from the teacher, another expert, or simulator to correct performance errors. Practice enables learners to re ... Full text Cite

Fast-tracking ambulatory surgery patients following anesthesia.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · April 2015 PurposeThe purpose of this process improvement project was to introduce and evaluate the efficacy of fast-tracking ambulatory surgical patients in a community hospital.DesignAn observational pre-post design was used, in which patient data ... Full text Cite

Focused anesthesia interview resource to improve efficiency and quality.

Journal Article Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses / American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses · December 2012 In an effort to reduce costs, many hospitals may use registered nurses (RNs) with little to no formal education or training in anesthetic or surgical risk to perform anesthesia preoperative interviews (APIs). This lack of education and training can result ... Full text Cite