Surgery/Specialties

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September 2025
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AMA survey shows 96% of physicians vaccinated

Editor's Note The American Medical Association (AMA) has released a new survey of 301 US practicing physicians that shows 96% have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Of those not yet vaccinated, 45% plan to do so. Vaccination rates did not differ across: primary care physicians (98%) or specialists (95%) regions—North…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 22, 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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No such thing as downtime: CSP renovation does not stop surgery

Many of today’s medical facilities have been modernized, but some still have areas of aging infrastructure. The central sterile processing (CSP) department at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital in Canton, Ohio, is one such example. The original Terrazzo floor from when the facility was built in 1953 had become hazardous. The…

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By: Barbara Underwood, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM
June 22, 2021
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ISMP introduces perioperative Medication Safety Self Assessment

Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on June 16 that the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has launched a new Medication Safety Self Assessment for perioperative settings to gauge how well organizations are doing in protecting surgical patients from medication errors. The new tool, which is for hospitals, ambulatory…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 17, 2021
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Short-term effects of canceled surgical procedures during COVID-19 pandemic in VA Healthcare System

Editor's Note In this study, from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Menlo Park, and Stanford University, both in California, researchers found that the pause in elective surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with short-term adverse outcomes in VA hospitals. A total of 3,326 surgical procedures canceled…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 14, 2021
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Remote monitoring for ambulatory surgery patients reduces postop ED visits

Editor's Note This study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s ambulatory surgery center, New York City, finds that remote measurement of patient-reported symptoms after surgery can improve outcomes and reduce postoperative urgent care and emergency department (ED) visits. The researchers developed an electronic platform and alert system, called…

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By: Judy Mathias
June 8, 2021
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Risk of COVID-19 transmission via electrocautery plume

Editor's Note In this Canadian experimental study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detectable in aerosolized electrocautery plume generated from any of the conditions investigated. The researchers mimicked surgery by applying electrocautery at 25 W using three different methods (monopolar cut, monopolar coagulate, and bipolar electrocautery) for 1 minute on raw chicken breast.…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 24, 2021
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Effect of duloxetine on opioid use after TKA

Editor's Note Duloxetine was found to be better than placebo for reducing opioid use and was of equal efficacy to placebo for reducing pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in this study presented at the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine annual meeting, May 13, in Orlando, Florida.…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 20, 2021
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CMS extends ASC quality data reporting deadline

Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 17 that it has extended the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR) program data submission deadline from Monday, May 17, to Monday, July 19, 2021. The extension provides ASCs with more time to obtain HARP [Health Care Quality…

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By: Judy Mathias
May 19, 2021
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Humble giants of leadership

This series, written by OR Manager’s clinical editor, Judy Mathias, MA, RN, presents the management approaches of top leaders from around the country and describes the qualities that make them exemplary leaders. These articles are intended to inspire nurse leaders to achieve the highest levels of success in their careers…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
May 19, 2021
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