Tag: risk factors

Emergency preparedness: Identifying essential supplies for unplanned surgical events

While most emergency surgical procedures are carried out uneventfully and safely, the OR is also a place where potentially life-threatening and least-expected instances can arise. Emergencies such as malignant hyperthermia, intraoperative cardiac arrest, and anaphylaxis can catch OR leaders and staff off guard. Perioperative teams need proper and adequate preparation…

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By: Lesley Barton
July 30, 2025
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Blast from the past: Revised data, evolving standards for OSA care in the perioperative setting

An estimated 22 million Americans were believed to have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 2019, according to data cited in a February 2019 article published by OR Manager. At that time, up to 80% of cases were undiagnosed, and 30% to 40% of the surgical patient population was believed to…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
July 18, 2025
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Hidden head injury hazards expose cracks in OR safety culture

One of the most sobering moments in the career of anesthesiologist Cornelius Sullivan, MD, occurred not as a caretaker in the OR, but as a patient in the emergency department. Having been knocked out cold by a low-hanging monitor during a surgical procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital, he had to…

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By: Matt Danford
July 1, 2025
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Surgeons perform first dual-organ transplant on LVAD patient

Editor's Note A Florida transplant team has performed the first-ever heart-liver transplant in a patient supported by a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), offering a potential new treatment route for those previously ineligible due to high rejection risk, CBS News reported June 21. The patient, whose antibody levels placed her…

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By: Matt Danford
June 25, 2025
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Study: Surgical patients face higher odds of food insecurity

Editor's Note New research shows surgical patients in the US face a significantly greater risk of food insecurity than nonsurgical patients, even after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic differences. Findings also point to potential underutilization of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits among surgical patients, study authors write.  …

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By: Matt Danford
June 20, 2025
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Poor documentation, positioning top risks in perioperative malpractice cases

Editor's Note Failure to document thoroughly, position patients safely, and follow facility policies are leading causes of malpractice claims against perioperative nurses, according to an analysis published in the AORN Journal on May 28. Although physicians are more frequently named in malpractice suits, nurses are the primary provider responsible in…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
June 17, 2025
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Amid outbreaks, vaccine policy shifts, experts offer practical strategies to safeguard OR staff

Vaccine health has been dominating the news amid ongoing measles and whooping cough outbreaks and high influenza activity last season. It is also on the minds of The Joint Commission surveyors, as the organization has updated infection control standards that took effect in July 2024 for hospitals and critical access…

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By: Carina Stanton
June 11, 2025
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FDA publishes Baxter update to Novum IQ infusion pump instructions addressing underinfusion risk

Editor's Note Baxter has issued a correction notice for its Novum IQ Large Volume Pump (LVP) after identifying a serious risk of underinfusion linked to the device’s standby mode and power-off conditions. First published on April 24 on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website and subsequently reported by Healthcare…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
June 9, 2025
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Study: Pneumonia risk lower for COVID-19 than influenza, RSV

Editor's Note Influenza and RSV infections more than double the risk of secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, while COVID-19 is associated with a significantly reduced risk, according to a June 2 news brief from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). The findings stem from a retrospective study of…

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By: Matt Danford
June 5, 2025
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Colonoscopy follow-up safe after 75: Study finds age alone shouldn’t guide decisions

Editor's Note Routine colonoscopy surveillance after polyp removal is safe for adults over 75 and should not be ruled out based on age alone, according to a new study from Kaiser Permanente published on May 27 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The research, conducted as part of the National Cancer…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
June 3, 2025
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