Numbers arenโt always the answer: What can you learn from your frontline staff?
We have all heard the safety instructions prior to takeoff: Put on your own oxygen mask first, before helping others around you. However, as nurses and caregivers, we are often so busy helping those around us that we donโt even think about applying our own โoxygen mask,โ or what the…
Effect of anesthesia care team composition on surgical outcomes
Editor's Note In this study, the composition of the anesthesia care team (anesthesiologist plus nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist assistant) was not associated with any significant differences in mortality, length of stay, or inpatient spending. Of 443,098 Medicare beneficiaries who had inpatient surgery between 2004 and 2011, the adjusted mortality for…
SASM issues guideline on intraop management of adults with OSA
Editor's Note The Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine (SASM) has issued a new guideline on Intraoperative Management of Adult Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Specific aims of the guideline are to: evaluate considerations of difficult airway management in patients with OSA assess the impact of anesthesia-related drugs and…
Association of childhood adversity with burnout, depression in nursing students
Editor's Note This study from the University of Texas El Paso School of Nursing finds that students who were exposed to a higher number of adverse childhood experiences (eg, abuse, neglect, family dysfunction) had higher levels of burnout and depression. A survey of 211 students enrolled in the first semester…
UMB to create Maryland Nursing Workforce Center
Editor's Note Rebecca Wiseman, PhD, RN, associate professor and chair of the University of Maryland School of Nursing at the Universities at Shady Grove, has been awarded a grant to establish the Maryland Nursing Workforce Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), according to an October 8 news release.…
Timing of preop blood testing not linked to postop morbidity, mortality
Editor's Note In patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II, the risk of 30-day morbidity and mortality was similar for those who had blood testing shortly before surgery and those whose testing was done up to 2 months before surgery, this study finds. Of 235,010 patients…
Joint Commission: 2019 ORYX updates now available
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 3 announced that key updates are now available for its 2019 ORYX performance measurement program reporting requirements. The Joint Commission continues to align its performance measure reporting requirements with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which published its 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment…
Projected burden of SSIs after total hips and knees, 2020 through 2030
In this study, researchers project that the burden of complex surgical site infections (SSIs) after primary and revision total hips and knees will increase 14% from 2020 through 2030 because of an aging population. Editor's Note In this study, researchers project that the burden of complex surgical site infections (SSIs)…
Nurse-to-patient ratios could result in high costs
Editor's Note Massachusetts voters in November will determine whether mandated nurse-to-patient staffing ratios will go into effect January 1, 2019, the October 3 SFGate reports. Implementing the ratios could cost providers $676 million to $949 million per year, according to an analysis by an independent state agency. A union representing…
Hospital employment continues to increase in September
Editor's Note US hospitals added 12,000 jobs in September to a seasonally adjusted 5,202,900, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on October 5. That is up 102,700 more employees than a year ago. Overall, healthcare employment has increased 301,500 in the past year. The overall unemployment rate is 3.7% (down…