Ideas That Work: Are Your Laryngoscope Blades Disappearing?

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE A plastic container on an anesthesia cart collects used laryngoscope blades.

Are Your Laryngoscope Blades Disappearing?

Our laryngoscope blades were disappearing, and we weren't sure why. Maybe our housekeepers were scooping up the reusable blades during cleanup and throwing them away with the trash. Whatever the reason, not only was it costly to frequently replace the blades, but it also imperiled patient safety because sometimes you'd reach for a blade that wasn't there. Solving the problem was simple. We placed labeled plastic containers on all the anesthesia carts to collect used blades. Creating a convenient location for anesthesia providers to place used blades has already cut down on our loss rate.

Kelly Malone, MHA, FACHE
Support Services Leader
Seattle Children's Hospital
[email protected]