The Impact of Continuous Monitoring in Preventing Unrecognized Respiratory Depression on the General Care Floor
Unrecognized respiratory depression on the general care floor resulting in respiratory arrest or a code blue event is a nightly occurrence at hospitals across the US. A significant portion of these respiratory arrests occur in postoperative patients receiving opioid analgesics and sedatives. These respiratory arrests cannot be eliminated. However, continuous monitoring solutions may enhance a clinicians ability to identify patients at risk earlier.