Background Patient safety is at the centre of every anaesthetic that we give. Intraoperative monitoring of vital signs including blood pressure, ECG, oxygen saturations and end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration, allows continuous patient monitoring throughout the perioperative period and is essential for patient safety. The formatting of the information presented including the layout and the colour is not standardised. When moving between Trusts (as is the case for many anaesthetic trainees and fellows) this can lead to confusion and potentially risk patient safety.

Method I carried out a survey of anaesthetists and Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) in the Anaesthetic Department at Great Ormond Street exploring the issue of standardised monitoring. These were distributed and collected over a period of two days in August 2023.

Results A total of ten surveys were collected (seven anaesthetists and three ODPs). 80% of people were able to remember the colours used for each of oxygen saturations, ECG, non-invasive blood pressure and invasive blood pressure at Great Ormond Street Hospital. 40% of people had experienced different coloured monitoring when working at different hospitals. One person was aware of guidelines relating to the formatting of monitoring (10%). 100% of people who completed the survey felt that intraoperative monitoring should be standardised across all hospitals.

Conclusion Anaesthetists and ODPs feel that standardising monitoring would enhance patient safety and reduce the risk of errors.