Editor's Note Extensive training and lower wages lead healthcare workers to accrue more debt than those in other industries, according to a recent analysis published in JAMA Health Forum.  Findings were based on 2018-2021 data from U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation. According to an August 5…

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Editor's Note The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, according to a CNN article published a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned about increasing activity for seasonal respiratory virus parvovirus B19. WHO issued the emergency…

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Editor's Note A dispute over cameras in ORs reportedly added tension to nurse strike negotiations that recently culminated in a tentative agreement with union nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. According to an August 7 CBS News report, the OR cameras are intended to assist with robotic surgeries.…

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Editor's Note This new multicenter study published by the Heart Rhythm Society on August 5 found that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) offer a safe and effective setting for performing various cardiac electrophysiology procedures, including catheter ablation (CA). The research, which retrospectively analyzed 4,037 procedures, highlights the viability of ASCs as…

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Editor's Note In a first step toward battery-free wearable electronics, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a healthcare device powered by the patient's body heat. According to an article published July 16 in MedicalXpress, the device combines a pulse oximetry sensor with a flexible, stretchable thermoelectric energy generator made…

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Editor's Note Optimizing patient positioning can help reduce the risk of surgical site infections due to airborne contaminants in positive-pressure ORs, according to a study published August 12 in Nature: Scientific Reports. Maintaining higher pressure than adjacent spaces prevents entry of contaminants from environments external to the OR. For this…

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Editor's Note Advocates of legislation to make physically assaulting healthcare workers a federal crime spoke out at a recent press conference hosted by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), MedPage Today reported August 2. The Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act (SAVE…

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Editor's Note A study published August 6 in the journal Surgery highlights the impact of structured debriefing tools on improving communication and patient safety in the OR during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted over three years, the study implemented a new electronic health record (EHR) module to document surgical debriefings and…

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Editor's Note In healthcare, ensuring the safety of staff and patients is paramount, particularly in outpatient clinics where incidents of violence can occur unexpectedly. At the 2024 SGNA Annual Course, experts discussed the importance of preparedness in managing violent situations in such settings, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News August 7 reports.…

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Editor's Note Lumbar spinal fusion procedures are significantly more likely to fail in individuals with diabetes, according researchers at The University of Toledo. According to a July 9 EurekAlert! report on the study, published in JBMR Plus, diabetic patients are already known to have a higher risk of infection from…

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