Increased tensions during the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to a spate of violent incidents, many of them directed at healthcare workers (HCWs). About 20% of respondents to a National Nurses United survey in late 2020 of more than 15,000 US registered nurses reported an increase in on-the-job violence caused by…

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The Joint Commission on June 18 issued prepublication standards for its New and Revised Workplace Violence Prevention Requirements, which will apply to all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals starting January 1, 2022. Revisions range from some wording changes in existing requirements to the addition of new Elements of Performance (EP) within certain…

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Cancellations of some surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and case rescheduling have been a major focus for perioperative leaders. But changes are also occurring in anesthesia practices. For many surgical procedures, the use of regional anesthesia or nerve blocks, coupled with light sedation, is reported to double if the…

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Choosing words carefully to send the message that was intended is a critical skill in the high-stress environment of the OR. Frances Cole Jones, an expert in the nuances of language, will inspire OR Manager Conference attendees to think differently about how they communicate during her keynote address on October…

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What exactly is required to prepare instruments for transport to the decontamination room after a surgical procedure? Point-of-use cleaning, which may also be referred to as precleaning, has been used to describe instrument preparation at the point of use after a surgical procedure. But both point-of-use cleaning and precleaning have…

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Advancements in technology have made it easier to distract children and ease their fears when they are undergoing surgery, but managing this patient population presents unique challenges. To guide parents and children through the surgery experience, leaders at some ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have turned to child life specialists, innovative…

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Editor's Note In this study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is based on surveys conducted just before the expanded availability of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for adolescents aged 12-15 years, about half of unvaccinated adolescents and their parents reported not intending for or being uncertain…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 9 updated its guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools and urged schools to fully reopen in the fall even if they can’t comply with all the recommendations on physical distancing and mask-wearing. The agency says if maintaining…

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Editor's Note This study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a 28.3% decline in monthly addiction treatment initiations. Larger declines occurred in those: without Medicaid coverage (-10.8%) younger than 25 years (-15.6%) who were employed (-11.6%) with dependent living (-11.4%) with…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on July 13, issued a new “Quick Safety Issue 60: Understanding the needs of diverse populations in your community.” To address the health and well-being of diverse populations in US communities, hospitals and medical centers can use the following safety actions and strategies: Requiring leadership…

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