title: 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: patient experiences, human factors, sedation, consent, and medicolegal issues.
abstract: The 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland into accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (AAGA) yielded data related to psychological aspects from the patient, and the anaesthetist, perspectives; patients' experiences ranged from isolated auditory or tactile sensations to complete awareness. A striking finding was that 75% of experiences were for <5 min, yet 51% of patients [95% confidence interval (CI) 43-60%] experienced distress and 41% (95% CI 33-50%) suffered longer term adverse effect. Distress and longer term harm occurred across the full range of experiences but were particularly likely when the patient experienced paralysis (with or without pain). The patient's interpretation of what is happening at the time of the awareness seemed central to later impact; explanation and reassurance during suspected AAGA or at the time of report seemed beneficial. Quality of care before the event was judged good in 26%, poor in 39%, and mixed in 31%. Three-quarters of cases of AAGA (75%) were judged preventable. In 12%, AAGA care was judged good and the episode not preventable. The contributory and human factors in the genesis of the majority of cases of AAGA included medication, patient, and education/training. The findings have implications for national guidance, institutional organization, and individual practice. The incidence of 'accidental awareness' during sedation (~1:15,000) was similar to that during general anaesthesia (~1:19,000). The project raises significant issues about information giving and consent for both sedation and anaesthesia. We propose a novel approach to describing sedation from the patient's perspective which could be used in communication and consent. Eight (6%) of the patients had resorted to legal action (12, 11%, to formal complaint) at the time of reporting. NAP5 methodology provides a standardized template that might usefully inform the investigation of claims or serious incidents related to AAGA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Cognition Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bogod
authors.affiliation: Member Royal College of Anaesthetists' Lay Committee, London, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hitchman
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Sligo Regional Hospital, Sligo, Ireland.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Jonker
authors.affiliation: Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.affiliation: Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Nimmo
authors.affiliation: Bristol School of Anaesthesia, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: St James Hospital, James Street, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Adult Intensive Care Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, UK.
authors.forename: J H M G
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Imperial College NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Plaat
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroanaesthesia, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Radcliffe
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: M R J
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sury
authors.affiliation: Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Torevell
authors.affiliation: University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hainsworth
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK jaideep.pandit@dpag.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Pandit
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003142:Communication; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D058926:Intraoperative Awareness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D010820:Physicians; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: awareness; consent; patient experience; sedation