Sleep deprivation in acute care surgeons
Editor's Note Acute and chronic sleep deprivation patterns are common in acute care surgeons and worsen on post-call day 2, finds this study. In this analysis of 1,421 nights for 17 acute care surgeons, the average amount of sleep was 6.54 hours, with 64.8% of sleep patterns categorized as acute…
Nurses have increased risk of sleep disorders, deprivation
Editor's Note Academic medical center nurses have a high prevalence of insufficient sleep and symptoms of sleep disorders, finds this study presented June 10 at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, in San Antonio. A survey of 1,165 nurses at an academic medical center found that: 49%…
DHS releases action guide for healthcare facilities on active shooter incidents
Editor's Note The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an action guide for active shooter incidents specifically for hospitals and healthcare facilities. The action guide includes potential indicators of an individual who may become an active shooter. It also gives recommendations for staff on what they should do if…
CDC: Hepatitis A infections up nearly 300%
Editor's Note In the May 10 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that hepatitis A infections were up 294% in 2016-2018, compared with 2013-2015. The increases are related to outbreaks among homeless people, men who have sex with men, people who use drugs,…
Vigilance best protects ASCs from workplace violence
Violence is a fact of life in healthcare settings. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that, on average, healthcare workers are four times as likely to be victimized as those in private industry. Most types of violent incidents involve patients or visitors acting out against staff, accounting for 93%…
Pregnant women working night shifts have higher risk for miscarriage
Editor's Note Pregnant women who work two night shifts per week have a heightened risk for miscarriage after pregnancy week 8, this Danish study finds. Of 22,744 pregnant women analyzed, 2 or more night shifts the previous week increased the risk of miscarriage after pregnancy week 8 (hazard ratio, 1.32).…
Effect of PPE doffing errors on healthcare worker self-contamination
Editor's Note The risk of hand contamination was higher when healthcare workers (HCWs) removed their gloves before their gowns during personal protective equipment (PPE) doffing, and HCWs who made multiple PPE doffing errors were more likely to have contaminated clothes after patient interactions, this study finds. In this analysis of…
'Coming clean' in the SPD requires collaboration and competency—Part 1
Contaminated surgical instruments made ECRI Institute’s 2019 annual top 10 list of health technology hazards, coming in at number five: “Mishandling flexible endoscopes after disinfection can lead to patient infections.” Number two on the list in 2018 was “Endoscope reprocessing failures continue to expose patients to infection risk.” It’s not…
Protective garments get makeover in new cleaning protocol
Surgical site infections are multifactorial, and perioperative leaders often struggle with how to reduce or eliminate them. In 2013, after an unexplained increase in surgical site infections (SSIs) among patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty at our facility, we began to investigate the cause. A fairly robust ERAS (enhanced recovery after…
Joint Commission seeking comments on proposed EP for office-based surgery practices using fluoroscopy
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 20 announced that it is seeking comments on a proposed element of performance (EP) for office-based surgery practices that provide fluoroscopy services. The new requirement−Environment of Care (EC) standard EC.02.02.01−addresses the monitoring of radiation exposure badges. The deadline for comments is March 29.
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- Long-lasting heart valves poised to set world record
- Study: Thrombectomy beneficial in high-risk acute stroke patients with large infarct
- Majority of American adults have CKM syndrome, at risk for heart disease
- FDA announces class 1 recalls for heart devices, ventilators
- Carbon-conscious health systems phase out desflurane anesthesia gas to reduce emissions
- Joint Commission releases annual Sentinel Event Data Report
- Study: Surgical team diversity improves patient outcomes
- Colorectal cancer rates declining in older adults, rising among children, teens
- Industry leaders share main growth opportunities for ASCs