Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 23 identified the recall by Philips Respironics of certain models of its BiPAP machines as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because certain machines may contain a plastic contaminated with a noncompatible material. If the plastic is…

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Editor's Note A protest from RNs at the University of Chicago Medical Center on September 15 was the latest outcry from the workforce to shed light on safety concerns rising from the chronic staffing shortage; more than 580 nurses have left UChicago Medical Center since September 2021, and the country’s…

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Editor's Note Strides have been made in cancer treatments, diagnostic tools and prevention strategies, driving down cancer death rates, according to a report published Wednesday, September 21, by the American Association for Cancer Research, NBC News September 21 reports. According to the group’s annual Cancer Progress Report, over the past…

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Editor's Note This Canadian study finds that most COVID-19 patients recover within 12 months, irrespective of severity. Researchers surveyed 106 patients recovering from COVID-19 at 3-, 6-, and 12 months. A total of 75% had recovered at the 12-month mark, but 25% still had at least one of three common…

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Editor's Note Houston Methodist, the first US health system to mandate vaccination of its employees in March 2021, is not requiring employees to receive new COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, the September 21 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Though the system is strongly recommending that employees get the…

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Editor's Note This study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, finds that chronic, insufficient sleep can negatively affect immune cells, which may lead to inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease. Immune cells fight infection, but if the numbers get too high, they overreact and cause…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) on September 21 announced the launch of a new surgical quality program to help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery. The Emergency General Surgery Verification Program focuses on…

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Editor's Note This 3-year survey study led by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, finds that emotional exhaustion trajectories varied by role but increased overall among most healthcare workers (HCWs) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 107, 122 HCWs surveyed, respondents reported increased emotional…

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Editor's Note According to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, 85% of pregnancy-related deaths in 36 states between 2017 and 2019 were preventable based on data from interdisciplinary committees that review deaths during and up to one year after pregnancy, American Hospital Association September 19 reports.…

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Editor's Note This study from The Wharton School, Philadelphia, and Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, examines changes in unemployment among healthcare workers (HCWs) from January 2015 to April 2022. The researchers found that: Prepandemic, 2.28% of HCWs and 3.82% of non-HCWs reported being unemployed. During the pandemic, 3.18% of…

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