Flexible IV needle aims to reduce needle injuries, infections
Editor's Note Researchers have designed a new IV needle, called the Phase-Convertible, Adapting and non-REusable (P-CARE) needle, which becomes soft and flexible when inserted. The findings were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering on October 30. Some highlights of the article include: Because medical IV needles are rigid, it allows them…
Emerging pathogens widespread in mechanical ventilators
Editor's Note Patients in Maryland hospitals on mechanical ventilators were exposed to two dangerous pathogens, which are becoming growing threats in hospital systems, according to a new report published on October 12 by JAMA Network. The report analyzed survey data from 51 participating healthcare facilities. The data included 482 patients…
CDC tracking new COVID-19 variant
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking a new COVID-19 Omicron variant, EU.1.1, that is responsible for 1.7% of new cases in the US and up to 8.7% of those in the western regions of Montana, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah, the…
APIC creates ‘Playbooks’ to help fight emerging infectious diseases
Editor's Note The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) announced May 1 that it has created a series of ‘Playbooks’ to help infection preventionists (IPs) and epidemiologists operationalize prevention efforts to help fight emerging infectious diseases. The pathogen-specific playbooks outline recommended practices for outbreak response, including: Pathogen…
Researchers affirm airborne spread of COVID-19
Editor's Note In this study, Canadian researchers succeeded in isolating infectious particles of the COVID-19 virus from air samples collected from hospital rooms. A total of 30 samples were collected from 10 different rooms of patients with COVID-19 and then frozen in a biobank for 14 months. The researchers were…
New Omicron subvariant emerging
Editor's Note The World Health Organization on March 30 reported that although there is an overall downward trend in COVID-19 cases and deaths, 21 countries are reporting increases in cases of Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, particularly India. XBB.1.16 has a similar profile to XBB.1.5, which is the dominant strain in the…
Cluster of mycobacteria infections after total joints traced to OR nurse
Editor's Note This investigation by the Kentucky Department for Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of eight cases of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) infections in a Kentucky hospital after total joint replacement procedures found that the presence of a particular OR nurse was significantly associated with the…
Effect of bioburden reduction intervention on ICU nurses’ mobile phones
Editor's Note This study led by nurse researchers at the School of Health Professions, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, finds that a disinfection routine measurably reduced surface contamination on mobile phones of ICU nurses. Surface bioburden of personal mobile phones and shared phones of 30 ICU nurses was estimated with…
Free Daily News
- OR Business Management Conference: Lowest rates expire soon
- Study: Women face higher mortality risk than men for postop atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery
- Time to sign up for the ASC administrators CASC training course
- Brain implant leverages AI, neural sensors to restore speech for ALS patient
- Study: Nearly 10% of patients on prescription opioids develop dependency or disorder
- CMS expands social determinants of health screening to outpatient settings
- Origami-inspired brain implants hold promise for Epilepsy surgery
- Surveyed nurses more satisfied with electronic health records, but concerns remain
- Countdown to OR Manager Conference: Implementation of a training program in an ASC
- FDA approves single-dose propofol amid drug shortage