Editor's Note The Biden administration has invoked wartime powers to speed rebuilding of intravenous fluid (IV) manufacturing capacity, CBS News reported October 15, four days after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took steps to combat drug shortages. Both efforts are in response to devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene,…

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Editor's Note In a recent study, lung cancer patients using wearable devices showed significantly improved postoperative physical activity and pulmonary function as well as reduced symptoms such as dyspnea and pain. Published September 20 in Jama Network Open, the study compared 74 patients in the intervention group (who used wearable…

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Editor's Note Boston Children's Hospital uses digital twins of patients' hearts to improve cardiac surgery precision and ensure positive outcomes, according to an October 15 report in The Washington Post. Digital twins—computerized replications of physical objects and systems—enable surgeons to simulate complex procedures on virtual 3D heart models before making…

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Editor's Note Research published in the American Journal of Infection Control finds that inadequate infection prevention and control (IP) staffing is associated with higher rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), including central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), Clostridioides difficile infections, and colon surgical site infections.  Medical Xpress…

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Editor's Note Critical care bed availability influences whether patients are admitted to intensive care after surgery, but it does not significantly affect postoperative outcomes, according to a study published September 25 in the journal Anaesthesia. The study involved 19,491 surgical patients from 248 hospitals in the UK, Australia, and New…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed Zyno Medical’s recall of Z-800, Z-800F, Z-800W, and Z-800WF infusion pumps a Class 1, the most severe designation indicating serious risk of injury or death. According to FDA’s October 11 announcement, the recall was due to  a defect in…

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Editor's Note AI and machine learning (ML) models show significant promise in enhancing preoperative estimates of surgical control time (SCT), which are frequently wrong, according to a study published September 10 in Perioperative Care and Operating Room Management. The longitudinal study examined differences between predicted and actual SCTs, broken down…

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Editor's Note Applying lessons learned from Hurricane Ian in 2022 helped Tampa General Hospital (TGH) successfully withstand Hurricane Helene in late September, according to an October 3 HealthLeaders interview with TGH CEO John Couris. Detailing how strategic preparations ensured the safety of its patients, staff, and critical infrastructure, including its…

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Editor's Note Nurse managers with strong leadership competencies indirectly improve frontline nurse retention by enhancing the work environment, according to research published in the October issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration. Researchers analyzed data from 248 units across 43 hospitals in 20 states, seeking correlations between NM competencies, nurse…

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Editor's Note Better-designed ORs can lead to shorter orthopedic surgery times and fewer disruptions, according to a recent study in Health Environments Research & Design.  Conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas, the study observed 70 unilateral total knee and hip replacement surgeries in two differently designed ORs at…

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