AB170. SOH24AB_010. An audit of regional anaesthesia practices in St. Vincent’s University Hospital

Background: Wrong site blocks are classed as never events by the World Health Organisation, which highlight weaknesses in a department’s safety practices. The Association of Anaesthetists in Great Britain and Ireland’s (AAGBI) Stop Before You Block campaign describe a STOP moment immediately prior to needle insertion to ensure correct site and side of regional anaesthesia. Education regarding these guidelines and implementation of department wide safety measures is crucial to reducing occurrence of wrong site blocks, thereby reducing risk to patients.

Methods: A re-audit comparing to data collected in 2019 of Stop Before You Block compliance. An education session was held in September 2023 to inform all theatre department staff of the Stop Before You Block campaign and practice guidelines therein, while also encouraging staff at all levels to implement safe practice and enforce a STOP moment prior to performing regional anaesthesia. Compliance to guidelines was then measured with prospectively collected data using forms completed by staff after each unilateral regional anaesthetic (block).

Results: In 2019, an audit compliance with Stop Before You Block guidelines occurred in only 11 of 30 unilateral blocks (36.6%). After the departmental education session our re-audit demonstrated 88% compliance with AAGBI guidelines, with a STOP moment implemented in 23 of 26 blocks.

Conclusions: An education session regarding existing guidelines was successful in increasing compliance with AAGBI guidelines on safe regional anaesthesia by a significant margin. It is the goal that further use of these practices, combined with visual aids will produce lasting change, reducing risk and improving outcomes.

Keywords: Anaesthesia; audit; education; patient safety; regional anaesthesia