Editor's Note The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) on March 8 announced it is joining with hospitals and other healthcare groups across the country to celebrate and recognize the work of certified nurses as part of Certified Nurses Day, March 19. Certified Nurses Day is an annual worldwide event…

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Editor's Note As a result of the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on powdered gloves that went into effect January 18, the Joint Commission is now evaluating organizations on the implementation of non-powdered glove use during accreditation surveys, the Joint Commission announced March 7. Instances of noncompliance are being cited…

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Editor's Note Opioid use before major abdominal surgery was independently associated with increased postoperative healthcare utilization and morbidity in this study. Of 2,413 patients analyzed, 502 used opioids preoperatively. After covariate adjustment, opioid users, compared with non-opioid users had: higher costs ($26,604 vs $24,263) longer lengths of stay (5.9 vs…

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Editor's Note To help surgical patients recover faster, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has started providing them with a computer app that prompts, monitors, and encourages activities that promote healing. The app, called “SeamlessMD,” can be downloaded to a patient’s smartphone, tablet, or computer and is part of Rush’s…

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Editor's Note Opioid overdose is a rare but potentially lethal complication after elective inpatient surgical procedures, and the incidence is increasing, this study finds. Of 11,317,958 patients analyzed, 9,458 (0.1%) had a postoperative opioid overdose, and the frequency doubled during the study period (2001 to 2011) from 0.6 to 1.1…

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Editor's Note For the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 12 to 18, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are urging surgical, obstetric, and chronic pain patients to learn about the risks and benefits of pain relief options available to them, including opioid and non-opioid treatments. Partnering with…

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Editor's Note Healthcare managers’ top priority needs to focus on work environment design to improve preoperative throughput and OR first-case on time starts, this study finds. Two main barriers were identified−lack of equipment and availability of equipment in the preoperative area. Four vital sign monitors with wheels were purchased, as were…

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Editor's Note The 123-page bill, called the “American Health Care Act,” was released March 6, Modern Healthcare reports. The bill replaces the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) income-based premium tax credits with age-based tax credits. It also enhances federal funding for states to expand Medicaid to low-income adults, and it converts…

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Editor's Note More adults are getting screening tests for colorectal cancer but not for breast or cervical cancers, according to new data from the Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 2000 to 2015, the rate of colorectal cancer screening increased from 33% to 62% in men and from 35%…

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Editor's Note This Canadian study finds that nurse managers’ coping strategies may be inadequate and could negatively impact their long-term health. Interviews with 23 nurse managers and 1 focus group found that nurse managers have severely high levels of role stressors that include: Working with limited resources (budget and staff).…

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