Boston hospitals supporting patients and staff in bombing aftermath
Just before 2:50 pm on April 15, 2 postanesthesia care nurses from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) crossed the Boston Marathon finish line. Their elation at finishing the race soon turned to fear when they heard the first of 2 explosions. They began searching for friends and family who…
Adopting a 'no interruption zone' for patient safety
The time-out is called, but conversations are going on, and the staff is still assembling equipment. No one seems to be listening. Then during the case, the anesthesiologist has trouble hearing over the loud music and chatter. The circulating nurse needs confirmation on a specimen but can’t get the surgeon’s…
Editorial
When you read the disturbing reports linking nurses’ stress, burnout, and workload to worse patient outcomes, you wonder why staff and patient safety aren't addressed together. In just one example, a study found a high rate of nurse burnout was related with higher rates of catheter-associated urinary tract infection and…
Solid OR governance is the foundation for safety
Ten Elements of Safer Surgery. First in a series. What’s the essential ingredient for an OR to run safely and effectively? Many would sum it up with one word—leadership, followed closely by collaboration. An OR led by a strong team from surgery, nursing, and anesthesia backed by the hospital’s…
Preventing SSIs: Keys to solutions lie with your front-line clinicians
How will a surgical site infection (SSI) develop in the next patient who has colorectal surgery? What can we do to prevent it? These 2 questions helped a team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to identify 6 interventions that achieved a 33% reduction in SSIs after colon operations. The…
Practice now applying the new ASC quality codes
While the deadline for beginning to report quality measures on Medicare claim forms is not until October 1, 2012, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can start practicing. On April 1, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a set of reporting codes for the first 5 measures. The…
Untangling pharmaceutical waste requirements
There’s general agreement that keeping unused pharmaceuticals out of the nation’s water supply is a good idea. But figuring out how to comply with the tangle of regulations governing unused pharmaceuticals isn’t easy. How intensely your facility is involved in managing pharmaceutical waste likely depends on how active US Environmental…
HVAC setback: Saving energy and reducing cost
Depending on your facility’s type and pattern of use, one or more of your ORs likely is not being used a majority of the time. Yet for most facilities, the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system operates continuously, providing air exchanges, humidity, and temperature control as if the OR were…
OR leaders hear about culture of safety
Managing Today's OR Suite conference attendees hit a winning streak of networking and lessons learned in Las Vegas. Participants attending the 22nd annual conference October 7 to 9, 2009, networked with colleagues and listened to inspiring and informative presentations ranging from creating a culture of safety to operating a successful…
Staying on top of code requirements
It is not enough to prevent infection and always to identify the right surgery site. It is not enough to have smooth hand-off procedures and to question patients thoroughly about their allergies and ailments. To keep patients (and employees and visitors) safe, the very architecture of an ambulatory surgery center…
Free Daily News
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