Evaluation of nursing approach to assessment of post-operative respiratory depression using a simulation model

Introduction: Assessments of post-operative patients that have been carried out by health care providers before critical opioid-induced respiratory events often do not detect respiratory depression. We hypothesise that opioidinduced respiratory patterns present during sleep may not be properly recognised as providers typically awaken patients for vital sign checks, and awake state assessment is recorded. We used a simulation manikin model to test this hypothesis.