SECTION 110.14. Emergency Preparedness Policies and Procedures

(a) Pursuant to Texas Occupations Code §258.1557, all permit holders, including nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation sedation permit holders, must develop written emergency preparedness policies and procedures specific to the permit holder's practice setting that establish a plan for the management of medical emergencies in each practice setting in which the dentist administers sedation/anesthesia.

(b) The emergency preparedness policies and procedures must include written protocols, policies, procedures, and training requirements specific to the permit holder's equipment and drugs for responding to emergency situations involving sedation/anesthesia, including information specific to respiratory emergencies.

(c) The permit holder must annually review the emergency preparedness policies and procedures to determine whether an update is necessary. The permit holder must maintain documentation of the dates of the emergency preparedness policies and procedures' creation, the most recent update, and the most recent annual review.

(d) Policies and procedures developed by all permit holders must include basic life support protocols, advanced cardiac life support rescue protocols, and/or pediatric advanced cardiac life support rescue protocols if treating pediatric patients, consistent with the requirements of §§110.3 - 110.6 of this chapter (relating to Sedation and Anesthesia), as applied to the permit holder.

(e) Policies and procedures developed by all permit holders must include, at a minimum, the following documents:

(1) Specific protocols for response to a sedation/anesthesia emergency, including specific protocols for advanced airway management techniques;

(2) Staff training log, documenting staff training in emergency prevention, recognition, and response on at least an annual basis;

(3) Emergency drug log documenting annual reviews for assurance of unexpired supply;

(4) Equipment readiness log indicating annual reviews for assurance of function of the equipment required by §110.15 of this chapter (relating to Prevention of and Response to Sedation/Anesthesia Emergencies); and

(5) Individual office staff roles and responsibilities in response to an emergency, including roles and responsibilities specific to a response to a respiratory emergency.

(f) All policies and procedures described in subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section must be reviewed and updated at least annually, and must be reviewed and updated as soon as possible after the permit holder obtains a higher permit level. Permit holders must maintain versions of the policies and procedures described in subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section for at least two years after the creation or update of the policies and procedures.

Source Note: The provisions of this §110.14 adopted to be effective May 10, 2018, 43 TexReg 2778; amended to be effective March 20, 2019, 44 TexReg 1441