College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Summer 8-21-2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Pamela Schwartz, CRNA, DNP

Second Advisor

Young-Me Lee, RN, PhD

Third Advisor

Karen Kapanke, CRNA, DNP

Abstract

Background: Anesthesia providers have full access to medications to administer anesthesia, yet many providers are not aware of the costs of the medications that are administered.

Objective: To examine the effects of providing a price list for the common anesthetic drugs in the operating room, to determine if a price list will change cost awareness among anesthesia providers, and to assess provider’s attitude toward price list intervention.

Methods: This is a descriptive comparative research study that uses a pre-intervention survey to assess if the anesthesia providers have a knowledge base of the cost for the anesthetic medications. A price list is placed in the operating room. A follow-up survey assesses the anesthesia providers’ knowledge of medication cost and the attitude about cost saving in anesthesia practice.

Results: 26 participants were included in this study. Participants who completed the pre-survey included two anesthesiologists (8%), seventeen CRNAs (65%), three SRNAs (12%), one anesthesia resident physician (3%), and three unidentified participants (12%). There were 23 surveys completed in the post-survey group. Two (9.5%) were from anesthesiologists, fifteen (71%) were from CRNAs, three (14%) were from SRNAs, and one (5.5%) was an unidentified participant.

Conclusion: Anesthesia providers improved their knowledge for the correct cost of medications from 2.6 to 3.8 after the price list was intervened.

Relevance to Practice: Anesthesia providers should be knowledgeable about medication costs with health care reform and limited reimbursements. Anesthesia providers should tailor their anesthetics in order to manage cost.

Key words: cost awareness, anesthesia cost, and price-list

SLP Collection

yes

Included in

Nursing Commons

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