RecruitingACTRN12623000681651

Monitoring use of inhalational anaesthetic agents in the operating theatre. Can raising awareness and education of anaesthetists influence practice to reduce waste?

Low With the Flow; The effect of education, visual prompts and a proposed accepted standard on waste reduction of anaesthetic gases in operating rooms.

Sponsor

Samuel Costello

Enrollment

500 participants

Start Date

Apr 1, 2023

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Volatile anaesthetic agent waste

Summary

Sevoflurane is used to induce and maintain anaesthesia. Use of this drug is associated with an environmental and financial impact. Nitrous oxide is also used to maintain anaesthesia. After use in theatre, these gases are expelled to the environment outside the hospital and contribute to global warming. We have a responsibility to reduce waste and care for the enviroment. Use per case and waste will be reviewed. After a period of intervention including raising awareness and education, use per case and waste will be reevaluated to determine if the use, average flow rate and the ratio between uptake and consumption have fallen.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 18 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is looking at the environmental and financial impact of anaesthetic gases used in operating theatres, specifically sevoflurane and nitrous oxide. These gases are used to keep patients unconscious during surgery, but after use they are released into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Some of this release is unavoidable, but a significant portion is wasted when flow rates are set higher than necessary. Researchers at St Vincent's Hospital are measuring how much of these gases are used per surgery, and then running an education and awareness campaign for anaesthetists. The goal is to find out whether simply raising awareness of waste encourages doctors to use lower flow rates — ultimately reducing both costs and environmental harm. This study is observational in nature and involves patients who are already undergoing surgery with inhaled anaesthetic agents. If you are having surgery at St Vincent's Hospital using general anaesthesia with inhaled agents, you may be included in this study automatically as part of routine care. No extra procedures or visits are required from participants.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

Interested in this trial?

Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.

Interventions

Raising awareness of the environmental and financial costs of volatile agents in the operating theatre and education as to how to reduce waste. The intervention will include education in the form of a 40 minute didactic powerpoint presentation at the start of the project. Cognitive aids in the form of reminders to reduce flows will be placed on every anaesthetic machine in the theatre environment. These reminders will be checked weekly to ensure that they are still in place. A poster will also be placed in the anaesthetic department next to the daily rosters to remind anaesthetists of the low flow approach. An outline of ways to reduce flows and waste will be distributed to all anaesthetists via the monthly bulletin which is delivered by email. Anaesthetists will be asked to check their logbook to ensure compliance with the target. In the initial phase after the education, one staff member will personally move through theatres to assess the compliance with the program and explain approaches for adjusting practice in real time.

Locations(1)

St Vincent's Hospital (Melbourne) Ltd - Fitzroy

VIC, Australia

View Full Details on ANZCTR

For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.

Visit

ACTRN12623000681651