200 years of surgery reviewed
Author Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, has written a fascinating article on the history of surgery for The New England Journal…
Medical / Surgery
Bariatric surgery does not reduce mortality in men
A study in JAMA reports that bariatric surgery did not decrease mortality in patients with a mean age of 49.5…
Body contouring: Shaping the future of patients with an obese past
Massive weight loss leaves lots of excess skin. See how plastic surgery can help.
Caring for patients with metabolic syndrome
A precursor to serious complications, this dangerous condition is on the rise among Americans.
Counterfeit surgical mesh
On March 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about counterfeit surgical mesh being distributed under C.…
Enhancing patient outcomes with sequential compression device therapy
Use sequential compression devices effectively to help achieve the best possible outcomes for patients.
Implementing bedside shift report
Implementing bedside shift report improved communication with patients and families.
Medical-surgical value analysis aims high above the bottom line
Standardization of medical-surgical products across hospitals and health systems can have significant benefits in cost savings, employee satisfaction, and the…
Mitral valve repair: A new choice
Learn the advantages of repairing a mitral valve instead of replacing it.
Myasthenia gravis: An update
Learn more about this common disorder of neuromuscular transmission and its affects on patients
New abdominal surgical set clears FDA
On April 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is allowing marketing of the Percutaneous Surgical…
Peril on Periphery
Peripheral arterial disease is all too common – and all too often goes unrecognized.
Pointers for pediatric respiratory assessment?
Even if you rarely care for children, make sure you know which respiratory assessment findings are red flags.
Postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery associated with cognitive decline first year after surgery
Patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting or valve-replacement surgery and who developed postoperative delirium had a significant decline in…
Protocol reduces complications for complex spinal surgery
A team approach reduces rates of major complications for complex spinal reconstructive surgery by two thirds, according to a report…
Psychiatric emergencies in med-surg patients: Are you prepared?
Rodney, age 47, was admitted to the hospital 2 days ago with rib and femur fractures and facial contusions. He appears well nourished and well groomed.
Pulse oximetry: An essential tool for the busy med-surg nurse
Pulse oximetry helps med-surg nurses meet the challenge of caring for the greater numbers of acutely ill patients they’re seeing.
Quality-improvement initiative: Classifying and documenting surgical wounds
Interprofessional collaboration promoted a successful initiative to improve wound classification.
Study: Delayed transfer to ICU increases mortality risk
A study that will be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference has found that delayed transfer to the ICU…
Study: High glucose in patients with diabetes increases risk of dehiscence after surgery for chronic wounds
A study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that preoperative and postoperative hyperglycemia and elevated A1c in patients with…
Study: Smoking increases risk of complications after colorectal surgery
A study published in the Annals of Surgery has found that smoking increases the risk of complications after major colorectal…
Surgical intervention for adults with intractable, drug-resistant epilepsy
Remember the first time a patient had a seizure on your shift? Chances are, it took you by surprise and…
Teaching ostomy patients to regain their independence
Make sure your ostomy patients leave the hospital with the knowledge and skills they need.
Team training reduces surgical morbidity
The Veterans Health Administration Medical Team Training program, designed to improve teamwork between nurses and physicians, significantly decreased surgical morbidity…
The dangers of postop abdominal distention
The rapid response team scrambles to save this patient.
Use of bone morhphogenetic proteins not associated less reoperation for lumbar stenosis
A study in February’s Spine reports that use of bone morhphogenetic proteins (BMP) in spinal fusion surgery for older adults…
What works: Measuring acuity on a medical-surgical unit
The escalation in the complexity of med-surg patients has resulted in the need for a bedside tool that measures acuity.…
Women have better outcomes than men after major GI surgery
Women who undergo major gastrointestinal (GI) surgery are less likely to die in the hospital than men according to a…
