Many are quick to blame travelers for the poor state of hospital finances. However, isn’t there a difference between a traveler in the OR—an interim staff member in the hospital’s profit center—and an interim RN in an area financially supported by OR profits? What about the argument that travelers can…
Editor's Note Often exceeding federal safety limits, OR noise contributes significantly to communication breakdowns, heightened cognitive load, and increased surgical errors, according to a review of literature published September 17 in Cureus. Identified noise sources include surgical instruments, alarms, and staff conversations, which can reach up to 120 decibels (dBA)—a…
Editor's Note Confusion about the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) prompted The California Department of Public Health to update guidelines for acute care hospitals, MedPage Today reported September 18. Issued after violations at two Modesto hospitals resulted in hundreds of cancelled surgeries, a letter from the…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the recall of Smiths Medical’s Bivona Neonatal/Pediatric and Adult Tracheostomy tubes as a Class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s September 18 report, the recall is due to a…
Editor's Note B. Braun Medical Inc. has expanded last year’s recall of lnfusomat Space Infusion Pump systems to include more models. Designated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Class 1—the most serious category indicating risk of severe injury or death—the recall was motivated by the risk of…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Fresenius Kabi’s recall of certain Ivenix infusion system components as Class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s September 16 announcement, the recalled items consist of a certain lot (3010538)…
Editor's Note In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), The Joint Commission and The Joint Commission and Joint Commission International (JCI) invite organizations, health professionals, patients, and their advocates to recognize World Patient Safety Day Tuesday, September 17. This year’s theme is “improving diagnosis for patient safety.” This theme…
Editor's Note Joint Commission International (JCI) and the International Hospital Federation's Geneva Sustainability Centre (GSC) have introduced a new Healthcare Sustainability Certification (HSC) for healthcare organizations outside the U.S., according to a September 11 report from The Joint Commission. The goal of the new initiative is to address the nearly…
Editor's Note Tubal ligation procedures increased after the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade and were particularly concentrated in states with abortion bans, according to a September 11 Associated Press (AP) report on a study published in JAMA. Researchers analyzed insurance claims for approximately 4.8 million women across 36 states…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Baxter’s recall of certain Single Patient Use Circuits and Blue Ventilator Adapter Assemblies as Class 1, the most severe recall category indicating significant risk of injury or death. The Single Patient Use Circuit and Blue Adapter Assembly are patient circuit…