Editor's Note Allowing older surgical patients to keep dentures, glasses, and hearing aids until anesthesia and restoring them immediately afterward significantly lowered postoperative delirium (POD) rates, according to a study published in BMC Geriatrics on August 30. The prospective before-and-after trial followed patients aged 70 and older undergoing hip fracture…
Editor's Note Two of the nation’s largest health systems are reporting major progress in nurse retention after investing in structured residency programs, mentorship, and professional development. According to a September 10 article from the Catholic Health Association of the United States, CommonSpirit Health has boosted new nurse retention to 86%…
Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to overhaul drug development, with DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis predicting that discovery timelines could shrink from more than a decade to just months. In a September 13 article from the Times of India, Hassabis described how AI models can identify drug candidates faster,…
What happens when a veteran perioperative leader walks away from the 24/7 responsibility of hospital operations, but not from the work she loves? For Stephanie Davis, MSHA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, former vice president of surgical services at HCA Healthcare, it meant reshaping her role from full-time healthcare executive to expert…
Editor's Note A simple adjustment to walking style can relieve osteoarthritis pain as well as medication and may delay the need for knee surgery, according to a year-long clinical trial published in The Lancet Rheumatology and covered by The Independent on August 18. As detailed in the article, University of…
Roughly 41,000 surgical procedures happen in the US every day. Each one depends on surgical technologists (STs), the professionals who prepare the OR, hand off instruments, and ensure a sterile environment to prevent infections that affect up to 3% of all patients. The profession’s importance is reflected in AORN’s recommended…
Editor's Note University of California San Francisco (UCSF) became the first university to certify medical students as robotic surgery bedside assistants, giving future surgeons unprecedented hands-on training in a rapidly growing field, an August 25 UCSF news release reports. The program reportedly positions learners alongside attending surgeons, nurses, and scrub…
Editor's Note A freezing technique applied during heart surgery is reducing pain, shortening recovery times, and minimizing the need for narcotics, News 9/CBS News August 13 reports. The procedure, called cryo nerve ablation, involves freezing nerves around the ribs to block pain signals for about 60 days. The nerves eventually…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially declared the nationwide shortage of sodium chloride 0.9% injection products over, saying a critical supply line for hospitals and surgical teams is restored. According to an August 8 statement from FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, the resolution marks a…
Editor's Note Designating underused neurosurgery blocks for straightforward ENT procedures increased surgical volume and reduced wait times at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, according to a July 3 report from the Children’s Hospital Association’s 2025 Transforming Quality Conference. The initiative began in early 2024, when ENT leaders and surgical…