Editor's Note Resident involvement in surgery is associated with comparable patient morbidity and lower mortality outcomes than procedures without residents, this study finds. The analysis used data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP). The findings provide a reassuring answer to patients, attending surgeons,…
Editor's Note The American Nurses Association (ANA) is urging all RNs to get the seasonal influenza (flu) vaccination and to advise their patients to get vaccinated also. Vaccination is the safest way to protect patients and the public from flu transmission while providing care, the ANA says. The ANA’s position…
Editor's Note The 2014 Institute of Medicine report calls for restructuring of Medicare funding for graduate medical education to incorporate pay-for-performance methods. However, to evaluate and financially reward residency programs based on performance, performance must be defined and measurable. This study assesses general surgery residency program performance using outcomes, including…
Editor's Note Elderly cardiac surgery patients are at increased risk of developing delirium and other changes in cognitive function postoperatively. However, research presented at the Anesthesiology 2015 annual meeting, found using monitors to track depth of anesthesia and oxygenation levels significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium and associated cognitive…
Editor's Note New guidelines from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing emphasize the use of simulation in nursing training and recommend certification to demonstrate that faculty and simulation lab personnel are qualified. The guidelines cite a study demonstrating that high-quality simulation experiences could be substituted for up to…
Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Premier, Inc, will extend their national learning collaborative to improve inpatient and outpatient care for surgical patients for an additional 2 years. ASA chose Premier in 2014 to develop a learning collaborative to implement the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model of…
Editor's Note Diabetes is an independent risk factor for surgical site infections (SSIs) for multiple surgical procedures, this study finds. A meta-analysis of 94 studies found that diabetic patients having surgery were 50% more likely to develop SSIs compared to patients without diabetes. Diabetes has been a recognized risk factor…
Editor's Note Wider adoption of “dropless” cataract surgery could save Medicare more than $7.1 billion over the next 10 years, a new study finds. In addition, patients could save an additional $1.4 billion for out-of-pocket costs for pharmaceutical co-payments, and states could save $124 million in Medicaid payments. The dropless…
Editor's Note One in 20 perioperative medication administrations included a medication error and/or adverse drug event in this prospective study. Of 277 surgical procedures with 3,671 medication administrations evaluated, 193 involved a medication error and/or adverse drug event. A total of 32 (20.9%) of the errors had little potential for…
Editor's Note Downing Labs, LLC (Farmers Branch, Texas) is recalling all lots of compounded and packaged sterile products because of concerns of sterility assurance. The products were distributed between April 20 and September 15, 2015. Posted 10/21/2015] AUDIENCE: Consumer, Pharmacy ISSUE: Downing Labs, LLC is voluntarily recalling all lots…
