Editor's Note In this study, postoperative delirium significantly increased the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older adults at 1 month after surgery, but there was no association at 2 and 6 months. Of 560 patients analyzed, 24% developed delirium during hospitalization. At 1 month after surgery, 47% had not…

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Editor's Note Because of the potential risk of selecting mutants carrying genes for cross-resistance to chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and antibiotics, it is advisable to reserve the use of CHG for purposes other than hand hygiene, this study finds. A review of studies showed no significant difference in healthcare-associated infection rates…

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As part of a special series on artificial intelligence (AI), OR Manager is taking a deep dive into the many facets of this new technology and its impact on patient care. Part 1 of this introduction to the series (OR Manager, May 2019, 1, 7-11) defined several different types of…

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Though long fasting before a surgical procedure is tied to increased patient risks, the outdated guideline of NPO after midnight continues to be practiced by many healthcare organizations. In 1999, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) revised their fasting guidelines to clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery and…

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Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, located in Lake Forest, Illinois, has taken a giant leap in curtailing late starts in the OR. In December 2016, the facility’s on-time start percentage was only 37%. Perioperative team members dug in their heels and, by August 2017, increased their on-time starts to 77%.…

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Editor's Note This multicenter study demonstrated an association between intraoperative staff movements and door openings with risk of surgical site infections (SSIs). In this study of 13 ORs in 10 hospitals, performing cardiac and total hip or knee replacement surgery, door openings were assessed by sensors fixed on the doors.…

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Editor's Note An increased in adherence to Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols was associated with a decrease in postoperative complications in this study. Of 2,084 patients analyzed, 566 had moderate to severe postoperative complications. The number of patients with moderate to severe complications was lower in the ERAS group…

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Editor's Note This study by Johns Hopkins researchers finds that the spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) bacteria that have high levels of resistance to most antibiotics could be reduced if only 25% of large healthcare facilities in a region used a patient registry. The researchers developed a computer simulation model…

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Editor's Note Researchers have developed an online app that patients and surgeons can use to guide preoperative planning and provide predictive data for how a patient’s ventral hernia repair will turn out. The basis of the app is a tool named the “Outcomes Reporting App for CLinical and Patient Engagement”…

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Editor's Note The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) on May 5 announced that it is changing its name to the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). The name change, which was announced at AONE’s annual meeting, also comes with a new tagline−Education Advocacy Community. The organization says the new…

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