AORN Journal back issues from November 2007:
Giving thanks and giving of ourselves.(PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE)(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )
Nov 01, 2007; ... November is a time in which we reflect and give thanks. We are thankful for all that we have. We are thankful not only for our material possessions, but also for the gifts and talents that we were born with and the skills we have developed and continue to refine as we grow both ...
Join the AORN Journal peer review panel.(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The AORN Journal is a peer-reviewed publication, and the Journal staff members rely on AORN members who volunteer their time and expertise to serve on the AORN Journal Review Panel. If you enjoy reading and critiquing manuscripts and have an interest in maintaining the high quality of the ...
Perioperative nurses aid in the fight against global poverty.(EDITORIAL)(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )
Nov 01, 2007; ... This month, the AORN Journal is proud to join more than 230 bioscience journals from developed and developing countries in focusing on global poverty. This historic publishing activity was conceived by the Council of Science Editors more than a year ago, and a call was sent to editors of ...
Avoiding abbreviations can improve patient safety.(Editorial)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The use of abbreviations in health care settings leads to an increase in medication errors, according to an August 16, 2007, news release from the Joint Commission. Communication problems are the Leading cause of sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission, and using abbreviations can ...
Living the mission: medical assistance to Nigeria.
Nov 01, 2007; ... Volunteerism is synonymous with Tennessee, the "Volunteer State." In 2001, a perioperative nurse joined a group of Tennessee health care professionals who volunteered to give up their personal time off and fly 3,000 miles to perform surgery for impoverished people at a hospital in Nigeria ....
The effect of health insurance disparities on the health care system.
Nov 01, 2007; ... Maintaining and improving the health of individuals is key to a healthy society. Health is connected to every aspect of people's lives and affects their capacity to work, live, and play. The health of Americans is intrinsically tied to the American health care system and is influenced by ...
A Bolivian medical salon experience.(Solidarity Bridge)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Volunteerism is the seed that helps germinate a communal attitude of sharing and serving others. Through this concept, each individual's contributions will make a difference, one person at a time. Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and medical missionary, stated, "The only ...
Project New Hope: volunteers caring for children in need.(Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Approximately 10 years ago, a young plastic surgeon new to the Reno, Nevada, area approached the leaders at a local hospital with a request to care for a pediatric patient in need of a reconstructive procedure. The procedure was not life saving in nature, but it would add incalculably to ...
The USNS MERCY's Southeast Asia Humanitarian Cruise: the perioperative experience.(United States Naval Ship)
Nov 01, 2007; ... What is it like to apply perioperative nursing skills aboard a huge, seafaring oil tanker converted into a hospital ship? Imagine being a crew member of a massive, floating medical facility with a 12-room, state-of-the-art surgical suite. The ship cruises to exotic yet undeveloped Asian ...
Mayo Clinic offers free audio podcasts on health conditions.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Individuals who want more in-depth information about diseases or health conditions can now subscribe to free audio podcasts from experts at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, according to a July 31, 2007, news release from the Mayo Clinic. Computer users can subscribe to any of these ...
Low maternal cholesterol may cause adverse birth outcomes.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Pregnant women with tow cholesterol may have a higher risk of delivering premature babies or babies with low birth weight than women with moderate cholesterol levels, according to an October 1, 2007, news release from the National Institutes of Health. Previous studies have shown that vend ...
Reuse and recycling practices in a Colombian Hospital.(Hospital de San Jose)
Nov 01, 2007; ... The humanitarian benefit of sending medical supplies to developing countries that have limited resources has long been recognized. Reuse programs, such as REMEDY (ie, Recovered Medical Equipment for the Developing World) (1) and the Medical Instrument and Equipment Recycling Program, (2) ...
Surgical site infection: the host factor.(1.9 CE)
Nov 01, 2007; ... It is estimated that in 2006 more than 30 million surgical procedures were performed in the United States. (1) According to the most recent National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) data, infection will have occurred at the surgical site in 2.6% of those surgical procedures. (2) ...
Serial wound debridement may increase heating rates.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Serial surgical debridement of chronic Lower extremity wounds may increase the healing rates for these wounds, according to an August 16, 2007, news release from Advanced Biohealing, Inc, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Researchers analyzed data from more than 500 patients enrolled in two ...
Pelvic Hearth Disorders Affect One-Third Of US Women.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... At least one-third of the women in the United States (ie, about 35 million) wilt be treated for a pelvic health condition by the age of 60, according to a June 19, 2007, news release from the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC). A new report from the NWHRC revealed information ...
MedStar Health vendor, access program: one system's story.
Nov 01, 2007; ... Ever since the publication of the Institute of Medicine s To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, (1) there has been an increased, nationwide focus on identifying risks to patients and decreasing or eliminating these risks to create a safer patient environment. Perioperative ...
Deadline extended for continuing education article.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... AORN has extended the deadline for receiving continuing education contact hours for the January 2004 AORN Journal article "Assertiveness training to prevent verbal abuse in the OR." The deadline for taking the examination and submitting an answer sheet to earn 3.0 contact hours is now ...
Heavy alcohol consumption increases cancer risk.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... A study that is tracking the diets and disease rates of 521,483 individuals in 10 European countries has shown that individuals who consume more than two alcoholic drinks per day have a 26% higher lifetime risk of colon cancer than nondrinkers, according to an August 1, 2007, news release ...
High-dose-rate remote afterloaders for intraoperatlve radiation therapy.(2.4 CE)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is single-fraction, external beam radiation treatment or high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy that is administered at the time of surgery. In IORT treatment, a large-fraction dose of radiation is focused on a surgically exposed tumor or tumor bed while ...
Infant perioperative patients.(SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Pediatric patients are not just small adults; each child is a unique individual. Similarities in children do exist, however, based on their developmental levels. Several developmental theories, including those of Sigmund Freud, (1) Jean Piaget, (2) and Erik Erikson, (3) can help provide an ...
Safety solutions released by the World Health Organization.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The World Health Organization (WHO) has Launched an initiative titled "Nine patient safety solutions" to help reduce health care-related harm worldwide, according to a May 2, 2007, news release from the WHO. An estimated one in 10 patients worldwide are affected by medical errors, and the ...
Documentation of the lateral position.(CLINICAL ISSUES)
Nov 01, 2007; ... QUESTION: Recently, we performed a chart audit and discovered inconsistencies in the way perioperative team members are charting the lateral position. Is there a standard way to document the lateral position? Is there a risk for wrong site surgery if we are not consistent in our ...
Risk of injury in the lateral position.(CLINICAL ISSUES)
Nov 01, 2007; ... QUESTION: I am planning to review the risks for injury associated with the lateral position. Does AORN have specific publications or resources that cover the risks for injury associated with the lateral-position? Are there specific considerations for obese patients in this position? ...
Pediatric instrument counts.(CLINICAL ISSUES)
Nov 01, 2007; ... QUESTION: We are evaluating our count policy for pediatric patients undergoing the herniorrhaphy procedure and whether the policy needs to be consistent between the inpatient OR and our hospital-based ambulatory surgery center (ASC). Personnel from the inpatient OR believe that it is ...
Colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.(CLINICAL ISSUES)
Nov 01, 2007; ... QUESTION: We are establishing a policy on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at our facility. We have seen references to "active MRSA" but I cannot find a good definition of active MRSA. What is the definition and what are some important components to include in our policy? ...
Evidence-based practice: AHRQ's role in generating and disseminating knowledge.(AHRQ COMMENTARY)(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Achieving evidence-based practice (EBP)--perhaps best defined as a problem solving approach to practice that involves the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care (1,2)--depends on a research-based body of knowledge. As in many settings and ...
Changes coming for congress 2008.(AHRQ COMMENTARY)(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Several changes are in store for attendees of AORN's 55th Congress, March 30 to April 3, 2008, in Anaheim, California. Some of these changes include the following: * New education schedule design--Congress 2008 attendees, and particularly delegates, will have more opportunities ...
Confusing, look-alike, and sound-alike medications.(PATIENT SAFETY FIRST)
Nov 01, 2007; ... The effort to provide safe patient care creates many challenges. One issue many clinicians confront every day is clearly and correctly identifying medications and solutions. This can be confusing when medications have similar names, labels, or containers. Additionally, supply-chain issues ...
Future congress dates and locations announced.(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Make plans now to attend AORN Congress in upcoming years. Following is a list of future Congress dates and locations: * 2008--March 30 to April 3, Anaheim, California * ...
Effect of perioperative immunonutrition in colorectal surgery.(EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Surgical Endoscopy July 2007 In the search to achieve a faster postoperative recovery for surgical patients, perioperative enteral nutrition has an important role because of its positive effect on intestinal function and the metabolic, nutritional, and psychological status of ...
Sterility and use of surgical site markers.(EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Journal of the American College of Surgeons August 2007 The Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery, which has been endorsed by more than 40 professional medical organizations, includes a preoperative verification process, marking the ...
Surgeons' habits in wearing scrub attire outside the OR area.(EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE)(operating room)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Journal of the American College of Surgeons August 2007 For decades, surgical scrub apparel has represented the uniform of perioperative staff members. It is believed to promote a high level of cleanliness and protect the patient from infection transmitted by OR staff members ....
Shaving the surgical site before spinal surgery.(EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE)
Nov 01, 2007; ... Spine July 2007 Neurosurgeons generally perform preoperative shaving of patients undergoing cranial or spinal surgery to clarify the surgeon's orientation, facilitate preoperative marking of the surgical site, and prevent infections. Shaving, however, has been shown to cause a ...
Educational opportunities.(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )
Nov 01, 2007 ... Periop 101: A Core Curriculum Periop 101: A Core Curriculum-formerly called AORN's Perioperative Nursing Course 101--is a comprehensive, facilitator-led, online program for educating new perioperative nurses. The curriculum covers 26 crucial topics and is designed to be ...
Anaheim information available for Congress 2008 attendees.(California, Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses )(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... Congress 2008 will take place in Anaheim, California, from March 30 to April 3, 2008, and attendees and exhibitors may want to take some extra time before or after Congress to enjoy the Local attractions. Anaheim has numerous theme parks, theaters, art galleries, markets, and shopping ...
40 years ago in the AORN Journal.(Perioperative Time Capsule)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The cover illustration is a reminder of the day four years earlier that President John E Kennedy was assassinated. AORN President Audrey N. Bell, RN, recounts the day President Kennedy was brought into the Dallas, Texas, hospital where she worked. Two days later, she cared for Lee Harvey ...
30 years ago in the AORN Journal.(Perioperative Time Capsule)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The "President's Message" details the goals of AORN's Long-range Planning Committee, which include having inhouse computers at Headquarters within five years. An article discusses new approaches to cranial and facial reconstruction. Although these surgeries typically had been performed for ...
20 years ago in the AORN Journal.(Perioperative Time Capsule)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... The "President's Message" supports development of specialty teams for complex procedures so that nurses are not expected to be "supenurses" who excel in all surgical specialties. * An author describes laser-assisted angioplasty for treating vascular disease in patients with ...
10 years ago in the AORN Journal.(Perioperative Time Capsule)(Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An article on alcohol and drug education for nurses states that an estimated 60% of the world's production of illegal drugs is consumed in the United States. * An article details lung volume reduction surgery and concomitant pulmonary nodule resection to ...