Editor's Note This study from the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, finds that postoperative opioid prescriptions written by advanced practice clinicians (APCs), defined as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, had higher total dosages compared with those written by surgeons. A total of 628,197 surgical procedures involving 581,387 adults…
Editor's Note This study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, finds that increased time from COVID-19 diagnosis to having a surgical procedure was linked to decreased odds of experiencing major postoperative cardiovascular (CV) complications. A total of 3,997 adult patients who had a previous diagnosis of COVID-19 and underwent…
Editor's Note The OR Manager Conference offers unique leadership education to perioperative leaders that aims to maximize efficiencies, overcome challenges, and improve operational skills. You too can access the educational content by purchasing a session recording package from the conference for just $150. All packages—we offer six total—include six audio…
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, find that mortality after major surgery is elevated in older adults who are frail or who have probable dementia. A total of 1,193 major surgical procedures in 992 Medicare beneficiaries were analyzed. Among the findings: Overall,…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 29 posted Exela Pharma Sciences’ expansion of its recall of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection, USP, 8.4%, 50 mEq/50 mL vial, 20-count carton. The product poses a safety concern because of vial breakage with flying glass when pressurized while preparing the product for…
Editor's Note This prospective Danish study finds that transfer to a postanesthesia care unit (PACU) immediately after elective hip and knee arthroplasty might be unnecessary in low-risk patients. A total of 696 total knee (274), total hip (287), and unicompartmental knee (135) arthroplasty patients were analyzed. Of those, 307 bypassed…
Editor's Note The OR Manager Conference program committee is seeking presentation proposals for the 2023 conference, to be held September 18–20 at Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Perioperative leaders who have experience or a story to share in the following categories are encouraged to submit a proposal by December…
Editor's Note This study, by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and California Department of Public Health, finds significant increases in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in California acute-care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically, central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs). The researchers found…
The Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago has a mission: to successfully serve children with complex airway disorders requiring pulmonary, upper digestive tract, sleep, voice, and swallowing evaluations. As a 360-bed facility ranked among the country’s top children’s hospitals by US News & World Report and housing more than 1,800…
Editor's Note In this study of Medicare patients, researchers from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, find that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of death at 30 days after nonelective surgery. Of 4,453 patients in the analysis, 623 (14%) had nonelective surgery. The mean loneliness score was 1.5. Unadjusted…