Tag: Guidelines

Splash risks, droplet dispersal during instrument reprocessing

Editor's Note This pilot project, by epidemiologist Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and colleagues finds that routine reprocessing activities generate substantial splashing and droplet dispersal, and that currently recommended items of personal protective equipment (PPE) do not adequately protect personnel from exposure. The researchers found that: Droplets were generated during every…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 14, 2022
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CDC: COVID-19 vaccine efficacy for preventing hospitalization

Editor's Note In this study, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers report on the comparative effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against hospitalization of US adults without immunocompromised conditions. Included in the case-control analysis were 3,689 adults aged 18 years and older who were hospitalized at 21 US hospitals between…

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By: Judy Mathias
September 20, 2021
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ASA, APSF update guidance for perioperative testing for COVID-19

Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) on August 4 updated their guidance for perioperative testing for COVID-19 to say that all patients having anesthetics or surgical procedures with the potential to generate aerosols should have preoperative testing for COVID-19, regardless of their…

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By: Judy Mathias
August 12, 2021
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CDC revises indoor mask guidance for fully vaccinated

Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 27 released new guidance recommending that “fully vaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings” in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates. The CDC cited data showing that some vaccinated people who tested positive for the Delta variant…

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By: Judy Mathias
July 28, 2021
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COVID-19 driving the move to regional anesthesia

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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By: Steven C. Eror
July 20, 2021
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Carbon dioxide levels in children with, without face masks

Editor's Note This randomized controlled clinical trial led by German researchers finds a concern of mask-wearing causing hypercapnia (excessive carbon dioxide in the bloodstream) in children. In this analysis of 45 children, carbon dioxide levels were measured at baseline without a face mask and during inhalation and exhalation under surgical…

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By: Judy Mathias
July 6, 2021
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Researchers raise the alarm on splashing during reprocessing--Part 1

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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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
June 22, 2021
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Joint Commission Resources launches Digital Learning Center

Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced June 2 that Joint Commission Resources, Inc, (JCR) has launched a new subscription-based Digital Learning Center (DLC) to provide on-demand accreditation and compliance courses and content. In addition to JCR’s digital content, which includes webinars, videos, PolicySource, and digital newsletters and e-books, the DLC…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 8, 2021
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Survey: HCWs report concerns about unsafe working conditions during COVID-19

Editor's Note The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, in Washington, DC, released a report on May 25 that summarizes findings from a national survey of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 1,200 HCWs from all 50 states and the District of…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 25, 2021
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ANSI/AAMI ST79 amendments refine sterilization practices

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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By: Susan Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, CIS, FCS
May 19, 2021
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