« Safety and Security
  

Toxic smoke protection for patients, staff urged

Toxic plumes in surgical smoke are a hazard to patients, surgeons, and nurses


Surgeons, patients and nurses breathing in poisons and viral particles in surgical smoke will have to wait for any new minimum protections in New Zealand, according to an article on the Stuff website.

WorkSafe NZ has no specific guidance relating to toxic electrosurgical smoke plumes.

Surgeon Dr Bruce Hodgson urged all hospitals to adopt a more effective surgical smoke evacuation technology.

Staff at Dunedin's Mercy Hospital and the Nurses Organisation (NZNO) last weekend called for a national debate on the issue, which had flown under the radar for years, the article said.

Read the article.

 

 



June 15, 2016


Topic Area: Safety

Recent Posts

Cleanliness Is a Measurable Outcome

By restoring the distinction between cleaning and cleanliness, managers and staffs can better protect patients from environmental pathogens.

Workplace Safety and the Role of Access Control

Workplace violence and other issues threaten patients, staff and operations, so managers need to rethink security measures and technology.

Henry Ford Hospital Celebrates Construction Milestone for Expansion Project

Crews from BTD, a joint venture created by Barton Malow, Turner Construction and Dixon Construction, are on track to complete the hospital in 2029.

How EVS Leaders Can Support Staff for Better Cleaning

Environmental services is one of the most important departments in healthcare facilities, but it can be a difficult one to manage.

Addressing Infection Prevention Staffing Gaps in Ambulatory and Procedural Care

Traditional models that are based on inpatient bed counts fail to account for the unique demands of ambulatory and procedural settings.

 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.