Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast

#297 From OR To ICU: How Checklists And Clean Hands Save Lives

Transfers don’t have to feel like controlled chaos. We break down how to move a critically ill patient from the OR to the ICU with confidence by pairing structured handoffs with disciplined infection prevention—so information moves seamlessly while pathogens hit a dead end. We start by revisiting the ICU’s influence on anesthesia practice through the story of ARDS and lung-protective ventilation. The shift to 6 ml/kg ideal body weight didn’t just save lungs in the unit; it reshaped intraoperative strategy to reduce ventilator-induced injury for surgical patients. From there, we zoom into the human factors of handoffs: why complex, time-sensitive details—hemodynamics, antimicrobials, ventilator settings, imaging, and goals of care—so often fall through the cracks, and how IPASS, OR-to-ICU structured handoffs, and explicit role assignments align teams.  Then we tackle pathogen transmission where it thrives: device-rich environments and high-touch surfaces. We unpack how environmental reservoirs and biofilms turn bed rails and anesthesia machine into unseen vectors, and why consistent, high-frequency hand hygiene is the most powerful countermeasure. Clear targets make habits stick: at least four sanitizer uses per hour in the ICU and eight per hour in the OR, coupled with strict isolation adherence and diligent decontamination.  By the end, you’ll have a tight, transferable playbook: adopt lung-protective settings across care areas, script handoffs with shared tools and timed calls, measure sanitizer touches, and treat the environment as a clinical variable. If this conversation helps your team cut errors or infections, share it with a colleague, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a review with one change you’ll make this week. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/297-from-or-to-icu-how-checklists-and-clean-hands-save-lives/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/297-from-or-to-icu-how-checklists-and-clean-hands-save-lives/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#296 How We Build Safer Anesthesia Teams, One Trainee At A Time

A small air bubble, a missed monitor cue, a late call for help—tiny moments that can change everything. We sit down with Dr. Max Feinstein to unpack how real-world anesthesia education builds safer clinicians, why attention is our most precious resource, and how culture—not heroics—prevents harm. From clear talk about morbidity and mortality to practical tactics like just-in-time simulation and curated literature, we map out a grounded approach to training that sticks under pressure. For new attendings, the leap to autonomy can feel surreal. We talk through imposter syndrome, the virtue of asking for help early, and how to choose a practice that backs safety over production pressure. Want red flags? Proceeding with non-NPO patients or brushing off new chest pain are hard stops. You’ll also hear about Dr. Feinstein’s current research in blood and transfusion management for cardiac surgery, his YouTube channel that demystifies anesthesia for learners and patients, and a nonprofit close to his heart, Heart Care International, supporting care for kids with congenital heart disease. If you care about anesthesia safety, team culture, and teaching that actually changes behavior, this conversation will give you tools you can use on your next case. Subscribe, share with a colleague who mentors trainees, and leave a review with your top strategy for reducing OR distractions—what works best for your team? For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/296-how-we-build-safer-anesthesia-teams-one-trainee-at-a-time/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/296-how-we-build-safer-anesthesia-teams-one-trainee-at-a-time/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#295 From OR To YouTube: What Happens When Patient Safety Meets Digital Storytelling

Curiosity can change a career—and a field. We sit down with pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist and creator Dr. Max Feinstein to trace how a love of ethics, a pandemic schedule, and a phone camera evolved into a mission to make anesthesia safer through clear, accessible education. From the first CA1 walk throughs to high-stakes cardiac cases, Max explains how video demystifies monitors, medications, and moments that raise anxiety for patients and challenge new clinicians. We dig into the roots of patient safety—why medication errors still matter, how standardized setups and closed-loop communication reduce risk, and where pediatric data remains thin. Max shares the unexpected insights from filming veterinary anesthesia, revealing shared tools and parallel workflows across species. He also talks candidly about the hardest shoot: obtaining layered consent in the OR, balancing transparency with compassion, and earning trust from everyone in the room. Now serving as the inaugural APSF digital editor, Max walks us through building collaborative patient-safety videos on platforms people actually use. Think opioid safety explained for patients, monitoring made visual for trainees, and practical lessons from human factors that stick when the pressure is high. Along the way, we highlight how partnerships with experts, attorneys, and working groups help turn guidelines into engaging stories that change behavior, not just views. If you care about anesthesia patient safety, pediatric cardiac care, or how medical education is evolving on YouTube and beyond, this conversation offers tools you can use today. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review with the safety topic you want us to unpack next. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/295-from-or-to-youtube-what-happens-when-patient-safety-meets-digital-storytelling/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/295-from-or-to-youtube-what-happens-when-patient-safety-meets-digital-storytelling/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#294 From Video Laryngoscopy To ECMO: What Keeps Airway Management Safe

When air meets uncertainty, judgment matters most. We dig into the evolving landscape of airway management where video laryngoscopy, supraglottic devices, and even ECMO promise better outcomes, yet cognitive errors and non‑OR settings still account for many of the most devastating events. Drawing on recent studies, malpractice claims, and national audits, we map the pressure points that turn a difficult intubation into a crisis and show how to defuse them with clearer plans, tighter teamwork, and sharper skills. We start with three high‑yield rules that change outcomes fast: cap the number of attempts, anticipate physiologic crashes, and switch early to rescue strategies. From there, we unpack the INTUBE findings on hypoxemia and cardiovascular instability, plus data showing how repeated attempts compound failure. Video laryngoscopy gets a balanced look: why it lifts first‑pass success across ED and ICU intubations, and how overreliance can silently erode direct laryngoscopy and awake fiberoptic competence. Expect practical strategies to preserve breadth: intentional DL reps, awake FOI workshops, and shared mental models that define time limits and bailout triggers. We also tackle unsettled ground. Aspiration risk reduction remains murky; cricoid pressure under general anesthesia has not delivered clear benefits, and robust trials comparing asleep rapid‑sequence to awake, topicalized methods in high‑risk patients are missing. We offer a decision lens to tailor approach by anatomy, physiology, and available expertise. For extreme airways—think massive goiter or tracheal compression—we explore where ECMO fits: preemptive, standby, or rescue. You’ll hear how activation criteria, cannulation readiness, and interprofessional rehearsal turn a complex tool into a safety net rather than a new hazard. By the end, you’ll have a cleaner playbook: plan A–D that you can execute under stress, a review of device trade‑offs, and concrete ways to reduce cognitive traps that drive harm. If this conversation sharpens your next airway, share it with a colleague, subscribe for future episodes, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/294-from-video-laryngoscopy-to-ecmo-what-keeps-airway-management-safe/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/294-from-video-laryngoscopy-to-ecmo-what-keeps-airway-management-safe/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation

#293 Reimagining Anesthesia With AI, Wearables, And Safety Culture

What if the anesthesia workstation could see trouble coming and stop it before it starts? We explore how anesthesia moves from reactive to predictive by blending AI, medical-grade wearables, and closed loop systems with a strong safety culture. The story of Alex—a 75-year-old who developed postoperative delirium and fell—anchors the stakes and shows how early signals, if recognized and acted on, can change a life. We break down practical uses of machine learning in the perioperative space: forecasting hypotension minutes ahead, integrating multimodal physiologic data for real-time decision support, and taming alarm fatigue with smarter, context-aware alerts. From operating room monitors to infusion pumps, interoperability turns scattered data into timely action.  Automation takes the next step with closed loop control. Imagine EEG-guided dosing that keeps hypnosis within target ranges, fluid and vasopressor titration that stabilizes hemodynamics, and a supervisory controller that coordinates these loops so clinicians can focus on communication, situational awareness, and patient advocacy. Through it all, safety culture remains the foundation: psychological safety, shared learning, and consistent prioritization of safety over short-term operational pressures. Technology should amplify the human connection, not replace it. You’ll leave with a clear view of what to pilot now—AI decision support in high-yield scenarios, targeted wearable programs for high-risk pathways, and structured training that embeds safety into daily practice. If this vision sparks ideas or questions, reach out and join the conversation. Subscribe, share with a colleague who cares about perioperative safety, and leave a review to help more clinicians find the show. For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/293-reimagining-anesthesia-with-ai-wearables-and-safety-culture/ [https://www.apsf.org/podcast/293-reimagining-anesthesia-with-ai-wearables-and-safety-culture/] © 2026, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation