Changes in admissions to addiction treatment facilities in California during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a 28.3% decline in monthly addiction treatment initiations. Larger declines occurred in those: without Medicaid coverage (-10.8%) younger than 25 years (-15.6%) who were employed (-11.6%) with dependent living (-11.4%) with…
CDC: More than half of public HCWs experienced mental health symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic
Editor's Note This survey of 26,174 public healthcare workers (HCWs) from March 29 to April 16, 2021, by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), finds that 53% had experienced at least one mental health condition in the previous 2 weeks. Prevalences of symptoms were: depression: 32%…
Effect of mask use on COVID-19 positivity rates in HCWs
Editor's Note This study led by researchers with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Pasadena, found no association in COVID-19 positivity rates among healthcare workers (HCWs) wearing respirator masks vs medical masks when performing nonaerosolizing, routine patient care. Of 1,414 HCWs involved in the study: 595 (42.1%) had exposures to…
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…
Patient care improves when leaders push for a culture of safety
Many ingredients go into the recipe for patient safety, and culture is one ingredient that is often overlooked. If the perioperative culture penalizes those who call out patient safety issues and doesn’t commit to continuous quality improvement (QI), it’s likely only a matter of time before a serious error occurs.…
Leading in a crisis: Turning away from trauma toward hope
The pandemic has called on leaders to inspire their teams to achieve greatness both during a crisis and afterward. The annual OR Manager Conference will bring Cy Wakeman, MS, CSP, to the stage to help attendees find ways to turn adversity into opportunity. Wakeman, president and founder of Reality-Based Leadership,…
Decrease uncertainty to combat burnout, boost retention
Provider burnout in the OR has been a problem for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has brought staff morale to a low point in hospitals across the US. Many OR leaders are facing staffing shortages just as demand for elective surgery is increasing. This is a significant problem for hospitals…
Federal judge dismisses Houston Methodist employees’ COVID-19 vaccine mandate lawsuit
Editor's Note A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by employees of Houston Methodist who challenged the health system’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate, the June 13 New York Times reports. US District Judge Lynn N. Hughes issued a ruling June 12 that upheld the hospital’s policy and noted that the…
CDC: ED visits for suicide attempts in those aged 12-17 years before, during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expands on previous work showing increases in emergency department (ED) visits for suspected suicide attempts early in the pandemic for all ages and suggests that these trends persisted for those aged 12 to 17 years.…
Houston Methodist suspends HCWs for failing to get COVID-19 vaccine
Editor's Note Houston Methodist has suspended 178 healthcare workers (HCWs) for not following a hospital policy that requires employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the June 7 New York Times reports. After warning employees last month that they had to be vaccinated by June 7 or face suspension, 117 HCWs…
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- Postop opioid prescriptions following outpatient surgery see steep, sustained fall
- Study: Bariatric surgery offers cost, survival benefits for cirrhosis patients
- AI monitoring, remote surgery advance
- Rethinking OR routines reduces waste, costs while protecting environment
- Proposed Oregon legislation blocks AI tools from using 'nurse' title