Education Program to Reduce Perioperative Complications in Chronic Marijuana Users

Purpose: The purpose of this evidenced-based quality improvement (QI) project is to implement a continuing education program designed to arm anesthesia providers with the current information to deliver anesthetics to patients who chronically use marijuana. The goal is to decrease perioperative complications and improve patient outcomes by equipping anesthesia providers with the tools they need to anticipate the potential complications associated with marijuana use.Background: With the rising medicinal and recreational legalization of marijuana across the United States (U.S.), more and more surgical patients are participating in regular use. Chronic marijuana use increases the risk of respiratory, cardiac, neurological, and hemodynamic complications during anesthesia, even among young, otherwise healthy patients. Methods: A QI project designed to assess confidence levels when caring for patients who chronically use marijuana among anesthesia providers employed by an anesthesia group in Phoenix, AZ. The initial confidence levels were then compared to confidence levels obtained after viewing an educational presentation addressing current literature findings surrounding marijuana use and its associated anesthetic complications. This was done by participant completion of a pre-survey before the presentation, followed by a post-survey of the same Grundy confidence scale after viewing. Average scores for both surveys were calculated and compared. Results: Comparison of the 14 participants’ averaged confidence scale scores revealed a 19.5% increase from pre- to post-survey. Participant feedback also brought to light the participants’ perception of the relevance of the information presented and the existing gaps in knowledge surrounding this unique patient population. Conclusions: Anesthesia provider education is beneficial for increasing confidence levels when providing anesthesia to chronic marijuana users. The relevance of this topic continues to grow, especially in Arizona, as its legalization for recreational use was recently passed into law (Proposition 207). As the research progresses, the evidence generated can be used for the creation of clinical practice guidelines and standards of care to further improve anesthetic management and reduce unfavorable patient outcomes.

Name thesis:degree_name

D.N.P.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate College

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Arizona.

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Casquejo, Kelly

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Reel, Sally

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Hoch, Kristie
• Herring, Christopher

• Anesthesia
• Marijuana
• Perioperative

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10150/658611

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/658611