Does it really matter if surgical instruments are submerged in cleaning solution when technologists or nurses scrub them after a case? Is there a reason for the 3-foot separation between dirty and clean areas? Do germs stop at the red line? During the COVID-19 pandemic, much attention has been focused…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on June 16 that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has launched a new Medication Safety Self Assessment for perioperative settings to gauge how well organizations are doing in protecting surgical patients from medication errors. The new tool, which is for hospitals, ambulatory…

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Editor's Note In this study, from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Menlo Park, and Stanford University, both in California, researchers found that the pause in elective surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with short-term adverse outcomes in VA hospitals. A total of 3,326 surgical procedures canceled…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ambulatory surgery center, New York City, finds that remote measurement of patient-reported symptoms after surgery can improve outcomes and reduce postoperative urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits. The researchers developed an electronic platform and alert system, called…

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Editor's Note In this Canadian experimental study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detectable in aerosolized electrocautery plume generated from any of the conditions investigated. The researchers mimicked surgery by applying electrocautery at 25 W using three different methods (monopolar cut, monopolar coagulate, and bipolar electrocautery) for 1 minute on raw chicken breast.…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 17 that it has extended the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program data submission deadline from Monday, May 17, to Monday, July 19, 2021. The extension provides ASCs with more time to obtain HARP [Health Care Quality…

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This series, written by OR Manager’s clinical editor, Judy Mathias, MA, RN, presents the management approaches of top leaders from around the country and describes the qualities that make them exemplary leaders. These articles are intended to inspire nurse leaders to achieve the highest levels of success in their careers…

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A year ago at this time, healthcare facilities were busy resuming elective procedures that had been put on hold because of COVID-19—a feat that required agility, innovation, and collaboration to ensure staff and patient safety amid the ongoing pandemic. It’s remarkable that multiple vaccines have since been developed and administered…

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Amendments have been added to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) standard ANSI/AAMI ST79, Comprehensive Guide to Steam Sterilization and Sterility Assurance in Health Care Facilities. The standard, which is used in healthcare facilities to guide their sterilization processes, is considered a useful resource to promote best…

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Unexpected benefits can arise from unexpected circumstances. Relatively new nurse leaders at two different facilities have found this to be true, for different reasons. Both have faced sudden changes that made their jobs more difficult but also gave them opportunities for growth. When the director of ambulatory care at Brigham…

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