Tobacco intervention attitudes and practices among certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Background: The period before surgery represents an opportunity for perioperative nurses, including certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), to address the tobacco use of their patients.

Objective: To assess the current practices and attitudes of CRNAs toward tobacco interventions.

Methods: A survey assessing current attitudes, practices and beliefs, and respondent demographics was mailed to 1,000 practicing CRNAs randomly selected from the membership of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, with one follow-up reminder.

Delayed emergence from anesthesia associated with absent brainstem reflexes following suboccipital craniotomy.

One of the most feared complications after intracranial surgery is development of acute intracranial pathology, which may result in hypoperfusion and brain injury. Thus, early neurological assessment, performed in the operating room immediately after emergence from anesthesia, is a practice that may contribute to timely diagnosis of neurosurgical complications. Failure to awake after general anesthesia precludes conductance of neurological assessment.