Same-Day Surgery – May 1, 2008
May 1, 2008
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Make sure your policies and procedures are in place to prevent fatal patient falls
It was a provider's worst nightmare. An 86-year-old woman had just undergone surgery in Boston to replace a broken hip. As the staff prepared to transfer her to a bed, a nurse removed a safety strap, according to a media report.1 She then walked toward the patient's left side so a bed could be placed on the right side for the transfer. -
Hospital covers bases to help prevent falls
Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis puts a special emphasis on educating its patients and staff about falls. -
Patients may need lifts for bariatric surgery
Facilities that offer bariatric surgery need to purchase equipment that can be used safely with those patients, says Michael Silverstein, MD, MPH, clinical professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. -
Surgery center field stung by infection control remarks
Do ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and other freestanding health care facilities resemble the Wild West when it comes to infection control practices? This appears to be the perception among at least some members of the infection control profession. -
Clinic owner comments on 'unfounded allegations'
In light of a hepatitis C virus outbreak that resulted in public health officials advising 40,000 patients to be tested, Dipak Desai, MD, majority owner of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, issued the following statement on March 10, 2008: -
4 steps that can improve infection control practices
While there are no quick-and-easy solutions to ensuring effective infection control practices in the ambulatory surgery setting, there are steps managers can take, say infection control experts. Consider these suggestions: -
Nurse accused of spreading hep C
As one recent case shows, it is difficult to prevent a nurse or other health care professional under investigation in one state from moving to another state and practicing. -
Same-Day Surgery Manager: How to communicate with problem surgeons
How many times have you thrown up your hands in frustration and said, "Nothing pleases this surgeon! No matter what we do, it is not good enough."