The effectiveness of guide charts for visual estimation of intraoperative blood loss for anesthesia providers at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital

Abstract

Background: The health professional were highly inaccurate at visual estimation of intraoperative blood loss effect to patients at risk for complications.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of guide charts for the estimation of intraoperative blood loss

Methods: The quasi-experimental study, ninety one providers estimated blood loss from 8 surgical simulation stations before and after using guide charts. The tools of this study were 1) Guide chart for estimation of intraoperative blood loss 2) Record form for estimate blood loss volume and the providers’ impression to the using guide chart. Primary outcome was the improvement of accuracy after using guide chart estimation blood loss. The secondary outcome was the impression of the providers to the guide chart. Percentage and chi-square test was used for the data analysis.

Results: Before using guide charts, underestimation blood loss was found in 6 stations. One optimal estimation and one overestimation were found in other 2 stations. After using guide charts, optimal estimation blood loss was significantly higher in all stations, such as the station 7 craniotomy simulation, optimal estimation blood loss was increased from 6.6% to 83.5% (p=0.000).

Conclusion: Implementation of guide chart improves the accuracy of intraoperative blood loss estimation. Impression of the providers to the guide charts were good.