Effects of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on sleep, health, working patterns of US healthcare workers
Editor's Note This survey of healthcare workers finds that stay-at-home orders issued in March 2020, resulted in worsening mood and changes in sleep, work, and behavior patterns. A total of 834 healthcare workers across 41 states who responded to the survey report that that their mood worsened, and bedtime screen…
New COVID-19 cases, deaths continue to decline
Editor's Note A US analysis of state and county data shows a 23% drop in new COVID-19 cases, a 16% fall in patients hospitalized, and a 1.8% decline in deaths in the week ending February 14, compared with the previous week, the February 16 Reuters reports. Nationally, 5.7% of COVID-19…
Support programs multiply as pandemic strains health systems
Burnout among healthcare workers was on the rise long before 2020, but it has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many healthcare organizations have stepped up efforts to support their staffs. “Maybe 20% of burnout is something an individual can control, but the other 80% is the work…
Joint Commission conducting both virtual and onsite surveys in 2021
The Joint Commission stopped doing most onsite surveys and reviews from March 16 to May 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, they developed processes for conducting offsite or virtual events, and as of mid-December, more than 1,200 offsite surveys and reviews had been conducted across…
Editorial
Combatting COVID-19 is the top priority of President Joe Biden. On Day 1 of his presidency, he signed numerous executive orders, including one that aims to provide “a unified and effective response” to the crisis and one that mandates mask-wearing and social distancing on all federal properties. His strategy is…
Strong new tactics to support COVID-19 financial recovery
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, but hospital surgery departments will not likely see a rapid return to normal. Since the start of the pandemic, perioperative leaders have had to stay flexible and act quickly. Over the next 12 months, OR leaders will need to reassess the…
Diligence in implant processing will decrease infection risks
Implants are foreign bodies, and they increase the risk of a surgical site infection. Processing implants requires strict adherence to the required steps because implants have sustained contact with sterile tissue. An implant is defined as a device that is placed into a surgically or naturally formed cavity of the…
Reports of anaphylaxis after Pfizer, Moderna vaccines
Editor's Note Since emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has received reports of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. From December 14, 2020, through January 18, 2021, 9,943,247 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and…
CDC updates guidelines on school reopenings
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on February 12 updated its guidelines for K-12 school reopenings. The update provides an operational strategy for safe delivery of in-person instruction through the integration of mitigation and control components as well as public health efforts. Included are the following:…
Effect of COVID-19 on stress levels, experience of academic surgeons
Editor's Note In this study led by the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, researchers find that during the early months of COVID-19, the personal and professional experiences of housestaff and faculty differed. Of 335 surgeons from five academic medical centers who completed a survey, 49.3% were housestaff and 50.7% were faculty.…
