Malignant hyperthermia education

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hi! I am an OR nurse with 8 years of experience, and also currently working on my MSN in nursing education. For one of my projects, I am going to be working on designing a course for malignant hyperthermia.

I have a few questions that I would appreciate some insight on:

1. What are the current practices at your facility regarding education about malignant hyperthermia and, if applicable, what changes would you like made?

2. What information/activities would you like included in a course on malignant hyperthermia?

So I guess I'll start by answering my own questions:

1. Currently, we have a computer module to complete that consists of a slideshow and test. The slideshow can be completely skipped, and some people merely take the test repeatedly until they have enough questions correct and pass the test. They do not truly learn and retain any information this way.

2. Information I'd like included would be risk factors, diagnosis, early signs, late signs, treatment. Activities would include a simulation where nurses can actually experience how it feels to draw up Dantrolene in an emergent situation. I've done it once, and there is a reason we have at least 2-3 people working on drawing up syringes.

Thanks for your input!

[4_Sq]

I would be tempted to use the MHAUS as my 1st resource.

Hopefully they would be able to give you the most current

data, algorithms, charts, etc.

In our OR we follow the protocol for MH and update according to our anesthetists input.

We have all the usuals in the cart, Dantrium, Sterile water for mixing, insulin, chlorpromazine, and so on.

We have ice in our fridges and also an ice machine.

We still have a " clean machine" however, I think they would just run O2 at 100% should we have an MH event.

We do not have a regular inservice on MH but we do have a monthly check of our MH cart for outdates etc.

We have a specialty syringe set for rapid mixing of the dantrium.

There is the help line for MH, phone number listed as well as a run down of the steps to take.

I believe tachycardia is one of the 1st indicators for MH

Good luck!