Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in preventing reinfection
Editor's Note This study by researchers from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, finds that completing a primary vaccination series after recovering from COVID-19 reduces the risk of reinfection by about half. A total of 95,000 Rhode Island residents participated in this cohort study, including residents and employees of long-term congregate…
FDA: Class I recall of Baxter’s Abacus software app
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 25 identified the recall by Baxter Healthcare Corporation of its Abacus Order Entry and Calculation Software application as Class I, the most serious. The Abacus software app can translate a physician’s order into a compounded solution. The recall was initiated…
Moral injury, nurse well-being, resilience in nurses during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study led by nurse researchers from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, finds an association between working during the COVID-19 pandemic and moral injury, well-being, and resilience among staff nurses and nurse leaders. An electronic survey was sent to 676 RNs practicing in Ohio. Results showed a significant…
FDA adds AEDs, chest drains to device shortage list
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 19 added automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and chest drains/suction canisters and autotransfusion systems to its list of medical device shortages during COVID-19. The shortage of chest drains/suction canisters and autotransfusion systems is because of increased demand. The shortage of AEDs…
Kay Ball: Mentoring the next generation
Widely known for her research on laser technology and for her legislative work advocating for smoke evacuation in the OR, Kay Ball, PhD, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, FAAN, a perioperative consultant and adjunct professor at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, sat down with OR Manager to discuss the role of education…
Study: Nurse diversity may reduce risk of maternal health issues
Editor’s Note A study from Columbia University researchers finds that hiring a more diverse nurse workforce may assist in combating “racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes” and reduce risk of maternal health issues, NBC News July 20 reports. According to the study published by the American Journal of…
WHO declares monkeypox a global emergency
Editor's Note On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern following the agency’s emergency committee inability to reach a consensus, Becker’s Hospital Review July 25 reports. After the no conclusion was drawn in the most recent meeting, WHO Director-General Dr…
A team approach to reducing instrumentation, costs during the age of COVID-19
ORs rebounding from the financial impact of COVID-19 are looking for ways to reduce expenses. With rising costs coming from all angles of the economy, some have adopted systemwide processes to reduce, streamline, and improve surgical instrumentation sets. Two major health systems, the Cleveland Clinic and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital…
Editorial
With inflation hitting yet another record-breaking high—9.1% at the time of publication—hospitals and health systems continue to contend with challenging supply chain disruptions that force leaders into a constant state of putting out fires. Supply chain issues are not new. But instead of having time to plan ahead and implement…
Ramifications of unprofessional behavior on patients, staff
Lynn Webb, PhD, assistant dean of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, shared an anecdote about unprofessional behavior with attendees of the recent OR Business Management Conference in San Antonio, Texas. A nurse reported that a surgeon was performing a transverse colon resection, and at the appropriate point, they…