Changes in prevalence of needlestick injuries, protection practices, and attitudes over 12 years
Editor's Note Though needlestick injuries and exposure to bloodborne pathogens continue to be significant hazards for surgeons and nurses, concern about risk is declining, and the true conversion risk is underestimated, this study finds. A survey was distributed to 358 medical students and 247 department of surgery staff at an…
Risk assessment system from private industry identifies SSI risks in ASCs
Editor's Note A risk-assessment system designed to avoid harm in private industry (ie, Socio-Technical Probabilistic Risk Assessment [ST-PRA]), was used by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-funded researchers to identify practices likely to pose infection risks in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The ST-PRA ranks failure points (events) according to…
Japanese researchers develop self-donning surgical gown
Editor's Note A research group from the Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, has developed a self-donning and self-adjusting surgical gown called “Selfgown,” the May 16 EurekaAlert reports. The new gown comprises a special spring along the neckline instead of strings, and the inner belt is removed…
Joint Commission evaluating use of non-powdered gloves
Editor's Note As a result of the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on powdered gloves that went into effect January 18, the Joint Commission is now evaluating organizations on the implementation of non-powdered glove use during accreditation surveys, the Joint Commission announced March 7. Instances of noncompliance are being cited…
Study: Needlestick injury prevalence, attitude changes, prevention practices
Editor's Note Needlestick injury and occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens are significant hazards for surgeons and nurses, attitudes about risks are changing, and the true seroconversion risk is underestimated, this study finds. A total of 358 medical students and 247 surgery staff were surveyed, and results were compared with 2003…
Joint Commission checking for compliance with FDA powdered gloves ban
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced February 15 that it will now evaluate all accredited organizations for compliance with the January 18 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban on powdered gloves. Citations will be listed under Leadership (LD) 04.01.01 element of performance (EP) 2: “The organization provides care, treatment and…
FDA bans powdered gloves
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 19, 2016, published a final rule banning powdered surgeon gloves, powdered patient examination gloves, and absorbable powder for surgeon’s gloves, effective January 18, 2017. The FDA says it issued the ban because these products present unreasonable and substantial risks to…
Can converting to synthetic surgical gloves lower hospital operating room costs?
Type 1 natural rubber latex allergic reactions are avoidable in the OR. Typically, surgical gloves are the last products remaining in the OR that contain natural rubber latex (NRL). Higher-cost, clinically acceptable synthetic latex surgical gloves are readily available. However, OR leaders can encounter significant resistance from hospital administrators when…
FDA proposes ban on most powdered gloves
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 21 announced a proposal to ban most powdered gloves in the US. The proposed ban applies to powdered surgeons' gloves, powdered patient examination gloves, and absorbable powder for lubricating surgeons' gloves. Powdered gloves pose an unreasonable and substantial risk of…
New AORN recommendations focus on infection prevention, patient safety
AORN leaders’ efforts over the past few years have led to evidence-rated recommendations for some of the 2013 Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices (RPs), representing “landmark progress in the evolution of recommended practices,” according to Ramona Conner, MSN, RN, CNOR, manager of the standards and recommended practices. Conner introduced speakers…
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