Sameness in nursing care puts patients at risk
Editor's Note Treating every patient the same may feel fair, but it can be dangerous, according to a September 2025 article from the American Journal of Nursing, which argues that cultural indifference in nursing practice undermines patient safety and trust. Per the article, person-centered care requires more than standardized protocols.…
Expert lessons on building successful total joints programs in ASCs
By 2022, orthopedic procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) were already outpacing expectations. For years, total hip and knee replacements were considered too complex for same-day surgery. Yet, total joints replacement volumes jumped nearly 200% between 2020 and 2022—outpatient total knee arthroplasty surged nearly 194%, while total hip arthroplasty…
AST warns against fast-track training programs
Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, "Health systems embrace partnerships, new training pathways to address surgical technologist shortage." The Association of Surgical Technologists (AST), a 55,000-member organization, acknowledges the growing shortage of surgical technologists (STs) but is raising alarms over the rise of…
Health systems embrace partnerships, new training pathways to address surgical technologist shortage
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…
Cryo nerve ablation cuts pain, narcotic use after heart surgery
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…
Study finds no link between long-standing preprocedural fasting and aspiration pneumonia risk
Editor's Note Loosening fasting policies before surgery does not increase the risk of post-surgical aspiration, also known as aspiration pneumonia, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Surgery in August 2025. The researchers analyzed 17 studies published between 2016 and 2023, including randomized clinical trials and…
Breast cancer surgery delays tied to higher upstaging, faster tumor growth
Editor's Note Each month of delay between breast cancer diagnosis and surgery raises the likelihood of tumor upstaging, nodal spread, and in vivo tumor growth, according to a national database analysis published in Annals of Surgical Oncology on July 23. The researchers reviewed records from more than 1 million patients…
Socioeconomic deprivation linked to lower fitness before surgery, UK study finds
Editor's Note Patients from socioeconomically deprived areas are more likely to have reduced cardiorespiratory fitness before surgery, potentially contributing to poorer surgical outcomes, MedicalXpress August 12 reports from a study published by PLOS One. The research, led by PhD student Donna Shrestha of Lancaster University Medical School, analyzed preoperative fitness…
Perioperative medication decisions need individualized risk-benefit approach
Editor's Note Medication management in the perioperative period is often made without robust evidence, requiring clinicians to balance surgical safety with the risks of interrupting treatment, according to expert guidance presented at the annual Perioperative Medicine Summit. Paul Grant, MD, of the University of Michigan Medical School, noted most medications…
FDA announces Class 1 recall for Draeger breathing filters
Editor's Note The FDA has issued a Class 1 recall—the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death—for Draeger Filter SafeStar 90 Plus (MP05785), Filter SafeStar 55 Plus (MP05790), Filter SafeStar 60A Plus (MP05795), and Filter/HME TwinStar HEPA Plus (MP05801) breathing system filters, affecting all lot numbers. Draeger…
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- Study: Surgical hospital closures hit vulnerable communities hardest
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