Noninvasive monitor accurately assesses response to pain during surgery
Editor's Note A new measure for assessing the body’s response to painful stimuli during surgery may allow for better anesthesia management, less pain when regaining consciousness, and better postoperative outcomes, this study finds. The measure, called the nociception (pain) level index, uses an algorithm to process multiple hormonal and neurological…
Long-acting cardioplegia solution linked to better outcomes in pediatric patients
Editor's Note A new long-acting cardioplegia solution resulted in better outcomes for pediatric cardiac surgery patients in this study, presented May 16 at the annual meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery in Baltimore. Researchers randomized 100 pediatric patients to the new Del Nido solution or the conventional St…
Public reporting measures don’t indicate hospital safety
Editor's Note Common measures used to rate hospital safety, such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital-acquired Conditions, do not accurately capture the quality of care provided, this study finds. Only one measure out of…
Fully automated robot shows promise for surgery
Editor's Note Autonomous robotic surgery performed by the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR) may help healthcare providers improve outcomes and efficiency, while reducing errors, finds this study. STAR integrates a robotic arm, suturing device, and imaging capabilities. Surgeons tested STAR against manual, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted surgery for porcine intestinal anastomoses…
Joint Commission to release additional guidance for texting orders
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced May 11 that it will release additional guidance in June regarding the expectations for text orders. The guidance will include the frequency text orders may be used, whether text orders that are directly integrated into the electronic health record are viewed differently than manually…
Military surgeons develop framework to sustain surgical skills
Editor's Note In a new study, military surgeons are proposing a new education and training paradigm that will benefit them and their patients in both military and civilian practice environments, the American College of Surgeons reports. Military surgeons face a unique challenge in that they serve as a “jack-of-all trades”…
CMS, Joint Commission adopt 2012 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Joint Commission on July 5 will begin using the 2012 version of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code in their accreditation surveys. The final CMS rule requires hospitals to follow the 2012 version of the…
Best and worst states for nurses in 2016
Editor's Note Washington tops the five best states for nurses based on opportunity, competition, and work environment, according to an annual survey by WalletHub. Illinois is second, followed by Texas, Oregon, and Iowa. The worst spot for nurses was the District of Columbia, just below Louisiana, Hawaii, Alabama, and South…
AGA, CDC, Joint Commission collaborate on patient safety project
Our TakeThe American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) announced May 4 that it has been selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Joint Commission for a new project to prevent patients from acquiring healthcare associated infections during outpatient care. The 3-year project referred to as “ADOPT (Adaptation and…
CMS approves IMQ as new ASC accrediting agency
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 29 approved the San Francisco-based Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ) as a national accrediting organization for Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) that participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs (known as deemed status), the May ASC Focus reports. IMQ…
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- ASC improves hospital efficiency, maintains outcomes despite higher-acuity joint replacement patients
- Hospital support staff cuts raise risk of infection, delays in care
- Study: Blocking stress-linked prolactin surge relieves postoperative pain in women
- Report ranks states by nursing opportunity
- Report: Hospitals double down on ASCs as outpatient shift accelerates
- Centralized waitlists slash joint replacement wait times in Canada, study shows
- Airborne bacteria pose hidden threat in cardiac ORs, study warns
- Simulation-based training boosts scrub nurses’ confidence in OR non-technical skills
- New AHRQ toolkit empowers OR teams to cut MRSA, SSI risk
- Study: Long working hours alter brain regions tied to emotion, cognition