Explore every episode of the podcast Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
#283 How To Plan, Induce, And Recover Patients With Anterior Mediastinal Masses Without Triggering Collapse
02 Dec 2025
00:28:38
Anterior mediastinal masses make even seasoned anesthesiologists pause, and for good reason: a stable, upright patient can decompensate with a single change in position or a single dose of the wrong drug. We walk through a clear, stepwise approach that starts with anatomy and symptom red flags, then translates imaging, echocardiography, and pulmonary function testing into real-world decisions at the bedside. The focus stays practical: how to pick the safest setting, when to avoid general anesthesia, and what to prepare before anyone touches the airway.
We break down adult and pediatric risk criteria, including mass-to-chest ratio, degree of tracheal compression, SVC obstruction, pericardial effusion, and standardized tumor volume in children. From there, we outline sedation-first strategies using ketamine, dexmedetomidine, and carefully titrated remifentanil to preserve spontaneous ventilation and avoid precipitous loss of tone. For patients who truly need general anesthesia, we share an OR playbook: lower-extremity access when SVC flow is threatened, semi-upright preoxygenation, slow induction while maintaining spontaneous ventilation, awake intubation options, and selective use of short-acting agents to test tolerance of positive pressure.
Ventilation choices can make or break the case. We explain why long expiratory times and low respiratory rates reduce air trapping and auto-PEEP, and how fiberoptic bronchoscopy can guide tube position, predict extubation risk, and inform postoperative support. Rescue pathways are explicit: repositioning and CPAP, mechanical stenting with an endotracheal tube or rigid bronchoscope, rapid escalation to airway stents, and ECMO when distal collapse or cardiovascular compromise persists. We also spell out who needs ICU monitoring after surgery and why the safest path often means doing less.
If this topic raises your heart rate, you’re not alone. Tune in to sharpen your plan, align your team, and build a safer pathway from preop to postop for both adults and kids. Subscribe, share with your OR team, and leave a review with your best tip for managing high-risk mediastinal masses.
#282 Building Safer Anesthesia Teams In A Locum-Driven World
25 Nov 2025
00:14:53
Ever walked into a new OR and spent the first ten minutes hunting for an airway bougie or a computer log-in that actually works? We dig into the hidden safety risks of a transient anesthesia workforce and share practical, fast-moving fixes that keep patients safe while keeping rooms open. With staffing shortages reshaping coverage models across the United States and beyond, locum clinicians are essential—but inconsistent environments, unclear escalation paths, and fragmented communication can turn small friction points into big hazards.
We unpack what the current evidence says—and doesn’t—about locum-related outcomes. A UK qualitative study surfaces predictable threats like unfamiliar systems and weak team integration, while primary care data shows prescribing differences without higher adverse events. In anesthesia, large safety studies are scarce, so leaders must rely on smart design: targeted orientation, standardized room setups, and shared mental models that don’t depend on who’s on the schedule. We also talk dollars and sense, highlighting a simulation-based break-even estimate for when full-time hiring outperforms locum coverage, and how to weigh cost without compromising safety.
From the main OR to higher-risk non-operating room anesthesia sites, we outline concrete steps that work across settings. Limit initial deployment to oriented locations, add locum staff to all communication channels from day one, and use checklists, cognitive aids, and universal timeouts to reduce variability. Establish clear role definitions and escalation trees posted in every anesthetizing location, and fold temporary clinicians into audits, feedback loops, and ongoing education. The aim is simple: compress the ramp-up, eliminate guesswork, and make the safe action the easy action—even when teams change daily.
If you care about perioperative safety, access, and team resilience, this conversation gives you a playbook to act now. Subscribe, share with a colleague who onboards locums, and email your best orientation tip so we can feature it on a future show.
#273 Breathless Moments: When Premature Babies Need Extra Vigilance
23 Sep 2025
00:18:58
When our smallest patients need anesthesia care, their immature systems present unique challenges that demand specialized knowledge and vigilance. The risk of postoperative apnea in former preterm infants has long been recognized, but the evidence guiding management continues to evolve.
Join Dr. Alli Bechtel and pediatric anesthesiologist, Dr. Eva Lu-Boettcher as they explore the physiological vulnerabilities that make premature infants susceptible to respiratory complications after anesthesia. The conversation delves into the complex interplay between immature respiratory control centers and anesthetic agents, highlighting how premature infants respond differently to hypoxia and hypercapnia compared to their full-term counterparts.
Drawing from landmark studies and current literature, this episode offers clear, evidence-based recommendations for postoperative monitoring based on post-conceptual age and risk factors. You'll learn about the inverse relationship between post-conceptual age and apnea risk, the critical timing of apnea events, and practical guidelines for determining which patients require extended monitoring. The detailed discussion of monitoring protocols provides a roadmap for keeping vulnerable infants safe during the high-risk postoperative period.
What makes this episode particularly valuable is its practical approach to clinical decision-making. Whether you're determining if a 50-week post-conceptual age infant can be discharged after six hours of monitoring or establishing protocols for term infants who receive opioids, you'll find actionable guidance supported by the latest evidence. As Dr. Lu-Boettcher notes, ongoing meta-analyses and micro-analyses promise to further refine these recommendations in the near future, highlighting the dynamic nature of patient safety practices in pediatric anesthesia.
Curious about how your institution's protocols compare to current best practices? Wondering when it's truly safe to discharge a former preterm infant after anesthesia? Listen now to enhance your understanding of this critical aspect of pediatric anesthesia safety and help ensure that no child is harmed under your care.
#183 Rapid Response: Anesthesia Machine Checkout Procedures and Malfunctions, PART 2
02 Jan 2024
00:14:38
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Thanks for joining us in the New Year!! Tune in today for the exciting conclusion of our two-part Rapid Response series. We are reviewing the recommendations for pre-anesthesia machine checkout procedure and a couple cases of anesthesia machine malfunctions. If you are using older anesthesia machines, this episode may help identify a potential threat to anesthesia patient safety.
#182 Rapid Response: Electronic Interference and Anesthesia Machine Malfunction, PART 1
26 Dec 2023
00:19:06
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Tune in for a Rapid Response two-part series. First up, we discuss electronic interference between the radiofrequency detection wand, the Medtronic Situate Detection System X, and the Twitchview train of four monitorinng device from Blink Device Company. We also discuss the development of the pre-anesthesia machine checkout procedure before we review several cases of anesthesia machine malfunction next week.
#181 Keeping Patients with Food Bolus Impaction or Foreign Object Ingestion Safe During Anesthesia Care, PART 2
19 Dec 2023
00:15:19
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are back for Part 2 dedicated to discussing anesthetic considerations for patients undergoing endoscopic retrieval of food bolus or foreign body. Today, we are focused on choice of anesthetic technique, communication, and postoperative care. Spoiler alert: There is no uniform anesthetic approach.
#180 Anesthetic Considerations for Patients with Food Bolus Impaction or Foreign Body Ingestion
12 Dec 2023
00:19:01
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
What is your anesthetic plan for patients presenting for endoscopy to remove food bolus impaction or foreign body ingestion? Tune in today as we discuss important considerations when deciding on location for performing this urgent procedure, need for additional resources, and anesthetic plan including general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care. This is Part 1 of a two-part series.
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We have a Letter to the Editor show with exclusive content from the author that focuses on a preventable airway management disaster, unrecognized esophageal intubation. Tune in to learn about new guidelines to help prevent this event and help keep patients safe. Key points from the recommendations include using video laryngoscopy when possible and confirming sustained exhaled carbon dioxide and adequate oxygen saturation following successful tracheal intubation.
#178 Keeping Anesthesia Professionals Safe in NORA locations, PART 2
28 Nov 2023
00:15:18
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Anesthesia Professionals need to be aware of hazards in non-operating room locations while providing anesthesia care including patient transfers and invisible hazards. This is Part 2 of a two-part series all about clinician safety in NORA locations. Tune in to learn more about practical recommendations for making NORA locations safer with clinicians involved in room design, careful arrangement of anesthesia equipment, using a safety checklist, and mitigation of physical hazards.
#177 Anesthesia Professionals Beware: Hazards in NORA Locations, PART 1
21 Nov 2023
00:16:17
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Anesthesia Professionals need to be aware of hazards in non-operating room locations while providing safe anesthesia care. This is Part 1 of a two-part series all about clinician safety in NORA locations. Tune in to learn about practical recommendations for room design that you can help implement at your institution.
#176 Keeping Patients Safe with Remimazolam Administration, PART 2
14 Nov 2023
00:15:26
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are continuing the conversation about a new medication on the anesthesia block, Remimazolam. Tune in for Part 2 of our two-part series on this novel and practice-changing medication including the unique pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as well as the known limitations, adverse events, and contraindications as well as key clinical practice implications and current knowledge gaps for safe, widespread adoption.
#175 Remimazolam, A New Medication on the Anesthesia Block, PART 1
07 Nov 2023
00:17:58
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Have you heard of Remimazolam? Do you use this medication in your clinical practice? We are not talking about Midazolam and Remifentanil. We are talking about a new medication on the anesthesia block, Remimazolam. Tune in for Part 1 of a two-part series on this novel and practice-changing medication including the unique pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, known limitations, adverse events, and contraindications as well as key clinical practice implications and current knowledge gaps for safe, widespread adoption.
#174 The Intersection of Emerging Medical Technologies and Anesthesia Patient Safety: The 2023 APSF Stoelting Conference
31 Oct 2023
00:21:13
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We have an exciting show for you today all about emerging medical technologies! That’s right, we are covering the APSF Stoelting Conference and discussing some of the important takeaways from the conference that took place September 6-7th, 2023. Tune in to learn more about the medical internet of things, acute care and wearable technology, a healthcare payer’s perspective, and consumer grade compared to medical grade wearable devices.
#272 Behind the Waveform: Critical Safety Implications of CO2 Sensor Selection
16 Sep 2025
00:16:20
Could your CO2 sensor be putting patients at risk? This eye-opening Rapid Response to Questions from our Readers episode explores a serious patient safety concern that every anesthesia professional needs to understand.
We dive into two troubling cases where patients under general anesthesia developed respiratory acidosis despite normal-appearing monitoring parameters. The culprit? A semi-quantitative CO2 sensor being used in an operating room setting where it was never designed to function safely. Through detailed case analysis, we uncover how the Nihon Kohden cap-ONE TG920P CO2 analyzer—which operates on the assumption that inspired air contains zero CO2—failed to detect dangerous rebreathing when CO2 absorbers became exhausted.
What makes this situation particularly concerning is that these semi-quantitative sensors display waveforms similar to their quantitative counterparts, creating a false sense of security. Dr. Amrutha Bindu Nagella shares her firsthand experience discovering the problem and her recommendations for preventing future incidents. We also hear Nihon Kohden's response, including their commitment to improving device labeling and safety warnings.
This episode highlights a critical knowledge gap that exists when technology moves between different clinical environments without proper understanding of its limitations. Whether you're an anesthesiologist, CRNA, anesthesia technician, or hospital administrator making purchasing decisions, this information could prevent a potentially dangerous situation in your operating room. Subscribe to the Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast for more essential safety updates that keep your patients protected during anesthesia care.
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us today for a special episode! The APSF joins forces with the Anesthesia and Critical Care Reviews and Commentary ACCRAC Podcast with Jed Wolpaw to discuss the Top 10 APSF Patient Safety Priorities. Tune in as we discuss each of the priorities, highlight patient safety implications, and discuss the related APSF activities.
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are returning to episodes #113 and #114 to talk about difficult airway management guidelines. Tune in as we discuss the pre-airway management decision making tool, steps for proceeding with awake airway management, and the emergency pathway for airway management after induction when ventilation is not adequate. Plus, we’re going through the pediatric difficult airway management algorithm too. Spoiler alert: It is critical to deliver oxygen and optimize oxygenation through the airway management process and limit the total number of attempts.
#171 A Literature Review and Patient Safety at Anesthesiology 2023
10 Oct 2023
00:09:36
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us today for a special preview episode all about how you can get the most out of Anesthesiology 2023. We discuss APSF featured events and ways to contribute to APSF! We would love to see you in person at the APSF booth or virtually by tagging us @APSForg. Plus, we are doing a dive into the literature on chronic post-surgical pain that you will not want to miss.
#170 Anesthesia Patient Safety Threats: Hypoxemia in the GI Suite and Wrong Drug in the Pyxis Drawer
03 Oct 2023
00:15:02
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Have you used a distal pharyngeal airway? Do you use a Pyxis machine to retrieve medications? Today, we have a couple Articles Between Issues to discuss about keeping patients safe especially from hypoxemia in the GI Suite with the help of a DPA and when using an automated drug dispensing cabinet or Pyxis machine. Tune in to learn about these threats to patient safety and how to help keep patients safe.
#169 Endotracheal Tube Cuff Failure and Medication Safety Associated with Drug Dilution
26 Sep 2023
00:17:10
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us for a Rapid Response to Questions from our Readers show. Our topics today include endotracheal tube cuff failure and changes in drug dilution for infusions in the operating room. Plus, we hear from the manufacturers in response to the cases. Are you performing a pre-induction check of the pilot balloon and ETT cuff? Are you checking the concentration of drugs diluted in the operating room prior to administration? Tune in as we address these questions and more?
#168 Innovation and Optimization of Medical Alarms
19 Sep 2023
00:17:06
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Anesthesia professionals have a critical role for monitoring patients, recognizing physiologic changes that require intervention, and taking the appropriate steps to keep patients safe during anesthesia care. Tune in today as we discuss the need for safe and effective medical alarms. Spoiler alert: Alarm design and optimization are necessary to enable the constant vigilance required for safe anesthesia care.
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are turning the volume up and the flows down today as we return to episode #110 for a review on how to keep patients safe during low-flow anesthesia. Spoiler alert: Low-flow anesthesia is safe with knowledge of the circle system, appropriate fresh gas flows and vaporizer concentrations for the patient, and continuous monitoring of oxygen and anesthetic gas concentrations in the circuit. Plus, we highlight the new APSF Technology Education Initiative on low-flow anesthesia.
#166 Keeping Patients Safe with the Brand New Practice Guidelines for Neuromuscular Blockade
05 Sep 2023
00:19:13
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Today, we are discussing quantitative monitors for neuromuscular blockade with updated practice guidelines to help keep patients safe. The big takeaway from the new guidelines is that quantitative monitoring is recommended to ensure a TOF ratio greater than or equal to 0.9, and the best location is the adductor pollicis muscle. Plus, sugammadex or neostigmine may be used for antagonism of blockade.
#165 Optimizing Perioperative Brain Health, Part 2
29 Aug 2023
00:17:31
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are continuing the conversation about Perioperative Brain Health on the show today for part 2 of our two-part series. Tune in for a discussion of the following strategies to help keep patients safe from delirium and cognitive decline during anesthesia care: EEG-based anesthetic depth monitoring, comprehensive programs dedicated to perioperative brain health, and the development of a Brain-ERAS program.
#164 Key Considerations for Perioperative Brain Health
22 Aug 2023
00:17:05
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Have you ever been asked by a patient, “How will anesthesia affect my brain?” Anesthesia professionals need to consider optimizing brain health throughout the perioperative period by identifying high risk patients and taking steps to decrease perioperative neurocognitive disorders. Join us today as we discuss using a multidisciplinary, team-based approach with interventions in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods to help keep patients safe during anesthesia care and beyond.
#271 Empowering Patients: The Key to Safer Anesthesia
09 Sep 2025
00:15:32
Patient engagement stands as the cornerstone of perioperative safety, bringing together the knowledge of medical professionals with the lived experiences of those receiving care. Through powerful personal testimonies and expert insights, we explore how this critical partnership transforms surgical outcomes.
Vonda Vaden Bates shares her heartbreaking journey that began with her husband's successful brain surgery but ended tragically with a fatal pulmonary embolism. Despite their active engagement with the healthcare team, a crucial knowledge gap existed - they didn't recognize the symptoms of a developing blood clot. This experience crystalized what Vonda calls "the intersection of engagement with education," highlighting why simply asking questions isn't enough when patients don't know which questions are most crucial.
The episode explores the comprehensive Patient Guide to Anesthesia and Surgery developed by the APSF, covering everything from understanding anesthesia types to post-surgical pain management strategies. This resource aims not just to inform but to empower patients to actively participate in their care journey, potentially taking preventative steps long before the morning of surgery.
Dr. Della Lin, an anesthesiologist and APSF board member, offers a profound perspective that reshapes how we think about the patient-provider relationship: "Patients are not the visitors to hospitals; we are visitors in their lives." This fundamental shift moves healthcare away from doing things to or for patients toward genuinely co-designing care with them. The APSF resources undergo rigorous review by both clinicians and patients, ensuring they address real questions using accessible language and helpful visuals. We encourage anesthesia professionals to not only share these materials but to study them as tools for better understanding patient perspectives. Have you incorporated these resources into your practice? Share your story at podcast@apsf.org and help us continue building bridges between medical expertise and patient experience.
#163 Keeping Patients From Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
15 Aug 2023
00:16:06
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Tune in today for Part 2 in our series on anesthesia patient safety considerations related to opioid-induced respiratory depression. We are doing a literature review and discussing a proposed new approach to postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression to help keep patients safe.
#162 No Patient Should Be Harmed by Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
08 Aug 2023
00:18:26
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
When was the last time you administered an opioid or ordered opioids for postoperative pain control? For many anesthesia professionals, this is something that we do on a routine basis. There are very important anesthesia patient safety considerations related to opioid-induced respiratory depression that we are talking about on the show today.
#161 GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Alert and All-New Consensus-Based Guidance
01 Aug 2023
00:16:49
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are continuing the conversation about GLP-1 receptor agonist medications today. Tune in today as we talk about how to keep patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists safe during anesthesia care. Spoiler alert: We are reviewing the new guidance from the American Society of Anesthesiologists for patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are talking about GLP-1 receptor agonist medications today. Patients taking these medications may be at increased risk for aspiration even after an appropriate preoperative fasting period. Tune in today as we talk about how to keep patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists safe during anesthesia care.
#159 Improving Pediatric Patient Safety During Hospital Transport
18 Jul 2023
00:16:53
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We hope you tuned in last week to Part 1 of our two-part series on keeping pediatric patients safe during transport in the hospital. Today, we are continuing the conversation and talking about identifying and mitigating risk, effective communication and teamwork, and culture of safety. Join us for a literature review and discussion on teamwork and communication strategies to help keep patients safe during anesthesia care and beyond during transport.
#158 Keeping Patients Safe During Transport Around the Hospital
11 Jul 2023
00:16:02
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are keeping the June 2023 APSF Newsletter open for our show today. Calling all anesthesia professionals who take care of critically ill patients and are involved in transporting these patients around the hospital. Today, we are reviewing several cases of pediatric transport and reviewing airway and ventilation management risks.
#157 Keeping Patients Safe from Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Medications
04 Jul 2023
00:14:13
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are picking up right where we left off last week to continue the conversation about keeping patients safe from medication errors due to look-alike and sound-alike drugs. Today, we are reviewing strategies to help decrease these medications errors at each step of the medication use process including procuring, prescribing, ordering, verifying, dispensing, administering, and stocking and storing. Spoiler alert: administration is the phase that is most vulnerable to medication errors.
#156 Medication Errors Related to Look-Alike, Sound-Alike Drugs
27 Jun 2023
00:16:01
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are diving into the June 2023 APSF Newsletter today and talking about medication safety. Have you ever reached into your anesthesia drawer and grabbed a look-alike vial? This is a big threat to anesthesia patient safety. This is Part 1 of a two-part series on Look-alike and Sound-alike (LASA) drugs and medication errors.
#155 Depth of Anesthesia Monitoring and the Argument Against Supraglottic Airway Devices for Laparoscopic Surgery
20 Jun 2023
00:19:44
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us today for an exciting Articles Between Issues show. First up, we are discussing EEG-based depth of anesthesia monitoring. Then, we cover the Con-side of the debate on the use of supraglottic airway devices for laparoscopic surgery. Are you prepared to urgently convert from an LMA to an endotracheal tube if needed? We are covering the steps on the show today and highlighting safety considerations.
#154 Tips for Anesthesia Trainees To Help Keep Patients Safe, Part 2
13 Jun 2023
00:21:12
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Whether you are just starting your training in anesthesia, just starting your career after training, or have been providing anesthesia care for years, this show is full of tips, clinical scenarios, and resources so that you can keep patients safe during anesthesia care. Today, we review preoxygenation, communication skills and handovers, and speaking up and calling for help for Part 2 of our two-part series.
#270 From Fears to Facts: Empowering Patients Before Surgery
02 Sep 2025
00:16:05
What happens when we truly listen to patients' fears about anesthesia? The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) discovered something remarkable: despite the wealth of medical information available, patients' most pressing questions about anesthesia remained largely unanswered in accessible language.
This episode delves into the groundbreaking work of the APSF Patient Engagement Workgroup, featuring insights from Maria Van Pelt. We explore how this initiative transformed patient concerns into actionable resources through methodical research, including comprehensive surveys and in-depth interviews. The resulting Patient Guide to Anesthesia and Surgery addresses common questions like "What if I don't wake up from anesthesia?" and "Are there long-term side effects?"—questions that anesthesia professionals hear regularly but that patients struggle to find answers to online.
Since its October 2023 launch, the Patient Guide has become one of APSF's most visited resources, attracting over 10,000 visitors monthly. This success demonstrates the critical need for patient-centered information that bridges the gap between medical expertise and patient understanding. As Van Pelt powerfully states, "Our goal is to create a culture where patients' voices are not just heard, but actively sought out and valued as essential components of safe care." Discover how this resource is changing the conversation around anesthesia safety and why patient engagement isn't just beneficial—it's essential for optimal outcomes. Visit APSF.org today to explore the Patient Guide and share this valuable resource with your patients and colleagues.
#153 How to Keep Patients Safe During Anesthesia Care: A Primer
06 Jun 2023
00:21:45
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Whether you are just starting your training in anesthesia, just starting your career after training, or have been providing anesthesia care for years, this show is full of tips, clinical scenarios, and resources so that you can keep patients safe during anesthesia care. Today, we review medication safety, communication skills, the time-out, and the use of checklists and references for Part 1 of our two-part series.
#152 Addressing the Quintuple Aim for Healthcare Delivery During Anesthesia Care with AI
30 May 2023
00:14:27
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us on the show today as we continue our exploration of the fascinating and rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence and anesthesia patient safety. In this second part of the series, we. delve deeper into different AI applications and examine some of the challenges and ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in anesthesia.
#151 Artificial Intelligence and Anesthesia Patient Safety
23 May 2023
00:15:37
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Join us on the show today as we discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and anesthesia patient safety. The future is bright with so many options for AI in anesthesiology including machine learning, natural language processing, and combining AI with clinical decision support with graphic user interfaces.
#150 Maternal Mortality Newsflash and Key Attributes of Effective Leaders
16 May 2023
00:15:09
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
What are the key attributes of effective leaders? Join us on the show today as we talk about these attributes: effective communication, collaboration, experience, and adaptability. There is a call to action that effective leadership in medicine is necessary to promote patient safety.
#149 The Best Work Environment for Patient Safety and Anesthesia Professionals
09 May 2023
00:14:16
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Progress towards improving anesthesia patient safety depends on individual anesthesia professionals building and maintaining a strong base of knowledge and technical skills and then remaining vigilant during anesthesia care to keep patients safe. It also depends on effective leadership to foster an organizational culture that is committed to anesthesia patient safety and this is what we are talking about today. Tune in to learn about safety culture, just culture, psychological safety, and more.
#148 Liver Transplant Anesthesia: Blood Transfusions and Hemodialysis
02 May 2023
00:15:23
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are heading back into the main operating room to talk about one of the most challenging cases in the operating rooms, liver transplants. The conversation continues on the show today as we discuss considerations for minimizing blood product utilization and intraoperative hemodialysis. Tune in for strategies to help keep patients safe during liver transplantation.
#147 Keeping Patients Safe During Liver Transplantation
25 Apr 2023
00:15:39
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We have talked about anesthesia patient safety in different areas of the hospital from the maternity wards to non-operating room anesthesia suites, but this time, we are heading into the main operating room to talk about one of the most challenging cases in the operating rooms with frequent hemodynamic changes, the possibility for massive blood loss and coagulopathy in sick patients and often that takes place in the middle of the night. That’s right, we are talking about keep patients safe during liver transplantation.
#146 A Smart Way to Keep Patients Safe from Medication Errors
18 Apr 2023
00:20:21
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Are you being smart when it comes to smart infusion pumps to help keep patients safe during anesthesia care? We are continuing the conversation about the intersection between anesthesia patient safety and technology on the show today. Join us as we discuss considerations for using smart infusion pumps during patient care.
#145 A Framework for Perioperative Care for Patients Infected with Mpox
11 Apr 2023
00:17:18
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Have you provided anesthesia care for a patient with an Mpox infection? Today we are going to review the current evidence and go through a framework for perioperative care for patients infected with Mpox. anesthesia professionals need to be prepared for infection prevention in the anesthesia work environment.
#144 Keeping Patients with Limited English Proficiency Safe During Anesthesia Care
04 Apr 2023
00:16:39
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Have you provided anesthesia care for a patient with limited English proficiency? Language barriers in healthcare are a big threat to patient safety. Today, we are talking about how we can keep patients with limited English proficiency safe during anesthesia care.
#269 Infiltrated IV Crisis: Managing Complications and Keeping Patients Safe
26 Aug 2025
00:14:28
Every anesthesia professional has encountered IV infiltration—but when neuromuscular blocking agents are involved, this common complication becomes a complex patient safety challenge with no established guidelines.
This episode delves into the critical management of infiltrated paralytics, a complication affecting 14% of peripheral IV catheterizations that can lead to delayed induction, compromised emergence, and potentially serious tissue injury. We're joined by Dr. Govind Rangrass, Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, who shares why this overlooked issue deserves urgent attention: "When a paralytic is involved, the complexity skyrockets and there's almost no literature to guide us."
We break down a comprehensive management algorithm, from the counterintuitive first step of leaving the infiltrated catheter in place to attempt medication aspiration, through systemic absorption enhancement techniques using hyaluronidase and nitroglycerin paste. The episode covers detailed reversal strategies based on monitoring capabilities, explaining how to prevent recurarization and safely manage these patients postoperatively.
Beyond immediate management, we look toward a future where infiltration detection technologies and standardized guidelines are integrated into residency training and crisis checklists. This episode provides the missing guidance that anesthesia professionals need to navigate this surprisingly common complication with confidence.
Have you experienced neuromuscular blocker infiltration in your practice? What strategies have worked for you? Share your thoughts or questions at podcast@APSF.org and join us in building a safer future where no one is harmed by anesthesia care.
#143 Safe Use of Supraglottic Airway Devices During Laparoscopic Surgery
28 Mar 2023
00:17:25
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
What is your airway management device of choice during laparoscopic surgery? Do you always reach for an endotracheal tube? Have you ever used a supraglottic airway device? Tune in today to learn about the benefits, risks, and considerations for the use of supraglottic airway devices during laparoscopic surgery.
#142 PONV: Updated Guidelines and Medication Options
21 Mar 2023
00:17:34
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
We are continuing our journey into the new era for PONV. Tune in today for a review of PONV risk factors and management options. Plus, we are digging in to the recently updated Fourth Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting. We hope that PONV management is an integral part of your anesthetic plans.
#141 A New Era for PONV Management During Anesthesia Care
14 Mar 2023
00:18:23
Welcome to the next installment of the Anesthesia Patient Safety podcast hosted by Alli Bechtel. This podcast is an exciting journey towards improved anesthesia patient safety.
Our show today is all about management of postoperative nausea and vomiting. We are reviewing the D2-antagonist medications that may be used for prevention and treatment of PONV. Spoiler alert: Amisulpride is the new drug in town with an excellent safety and efficacy profile.