Implementation of an Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening Program at an Overseas Military Hospital

Anesthesia providers and surgeons do poorly at consistently identifying patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) without use of screening tools. Aims of this evidence-based-practice project were to determine whether educating nurses about OSA and incorporating the STOP-BANG Questionnaire into preoperative forms was associated with an increased identification of patients with suspected OSA and an increased frequency of nurse-generated anesthesia consultation for OSA. A retrospective chart review of 100 consecutive records over a 1-month period using the STOP-BANG Questionnaire criteria was completed before and after implementation of the education and screening program at US Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan. A STOP-BANG Questionnaire score of 3 or higher indicated high risk of OSA. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze results. Two hundred charts were reviewed. The prevalence of a STOP-BANG score of 3 or more increased from 5% to 21% after program implementation (P = .001). The frequency of anesthesia consultation for known or suspected OSA by our nursing staff increased from 5% to 26% after implementation (P = .0001). After this educational intervention with preoperative nurses and redesign of preoperative forms to incorporate the STOP-BANG Questionnaire, an increased proportion of patients at high risk of OSA were identified.