New drug cocktails for executions....opinions?

[traumaRUs]

This is not a thread about the death penalty. My interest lies in your thoughts about this particular drug combo...

http://t.nbcnews.com/health/florida-execute-man-using-untried-lethal-injection-drug-8C11390762

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Bullets are cheaper and manufactured right here in good old 'merica.

Either way its more political puffing and it gets old fast. Why dont they have a **** fit about using potassium?

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Bullets are cheaper and manufactured right here in good old 'merica.

Either way its more political puffing and it gets old fast. Why dont they have a **** fit about using potassium?

The problem isn't using potassium or pancoronium. It is what are you are going to use to induce general anesthesia that is always being challenged.

[sapphire18]

Why not propofol? To me that seems like more of a sure thing than versed- obviously depending on dosages.

[sapphire18]

Sorry just realized this is the CRNA forum...obviously I am not one lol...just the ponderings of a lowly staff nurse;)

[manusko]

Why not propofol? To me that seems like more of a sure thing than versed- obviously depending on dosages.

Because we don't want to lose our best induction drug.

[puppies'n kittens]

Whatever it takes to end capital punishment...I thank the EU for this.

[manusko]

Whatever it takes to end capital punishment...I thank the EU for this.

They can just skip the drugs all together and use a rope like many used to. Would that be better?

[puppies'n kittens]

They can just skip the drugs all together and use a rope like many used to. Would that be better?

I think you are missing the point where I am OPPOSED to capital punishment. I'm glad the EU is doing this.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Please don't turn this into a death penalty debate. My interest lies only with the combo of drugs used....

[puppies'n kittens]

Please don't turn this into a death penalty debate. My interest lies only with the combo of drugs used....

OK.. No more comments. I apologize.

[jwk]

Anyone involved in anesthesia, or most medical professionals for that matter, could offer up any number of drug combinations that would work just fine for capital punishment. There are two concerns - one, that the criminal is unconscious, and two, that they not "hurt or suffer" during their execution. Pancuronium alone would work fine - they quit breathing, they die. Of course they would be awake for a few minutes while they're not breathing, so that is somehow considered inhumane. KCL burns pretty badly (not sure if it's worse than propofol) so again, it's considered inhumane to give it without somehow producing unconsciousness.

The problem is that attorneys, with their ever-present "facts don't matter" persona, think everything needs to be tested "to make sure it would work". Again, anyone with minimal medical training and understanding could tell you x + y + z = death, or maybe x + y = death, or perhaps just x = death. ANY type of hypnotic, sedative, narcotic, or similar drug in a large dose would be fine. Add to that ANY combination of any easily available neuromuscular blocking agent OR simply KCl and that = death.

I'm not sure why we don't simply execute them in a CO2 gas chamber similar to the way large numbers of animals are euthanized every day across the country. Crank up the CO2, they go to sleep (literally) and they die. They don't get "oxygen starvation" because they're asleep before they get to that point.

[ssrhythm]

10 mg versed and 250mcg fentanyl followed one minute later by 200mg propofol followed 30 seconds later by 50mg rocuronium followed 30 seconds later by 100meq KCL followed 10 minutes later by the morgue staff. Three minutes and the murderer was comfy, unconscious, still, then dead...every time. The price would be minimal. Is this really so difficult?