Although the prospect of making a hospital surgical-smoke-free seems daunting, the Feb. 25 webinar, "A roadmap to eliminating surgical smoke: How Littleton Adventist Hospital went 100 percent smoke-free," shared guidance around making that dream a reality.
The webinar detailed one hospital's journey along with information about Stryker's Neptune SafeAir smoke evacuation portfolio.
The webinar, hosted by Becker's Hospital Review Editor-in-Chief Ayla Ellison, comprised:
Melony Prince, MSN, BSN,CNOR a clinical nurse educator in surgical services at Littleton Adventist Hospital
Matt Wells, a sales representative at Stryker
Ms. Prince had a key role in making Littleton (Colo.) Adventist Hospital 100 percent smoke-free through policy and legislative changes, along with a partnership with Stryker. After learning about how one OR nurse was affected by surgical smoke, Ms. Prince partnered with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses to pass a bill calling for eliminating surgical smoke.
According to research presented by Mr. Wells, 150 chemicals have been found in surgical smoke, a byproduct of high-heat electrical tools used during surgery. Along with chemicals, surgical smoke can expose operating room staff to viruses, including human papillomavirus. The amount of surgical smoke produced in a day can be equivalent to 27 to 30 unfiltered cigarettes.
During the webinar, Ms. Prince outlined a roadmap to implement a surgical smoke policy. The roadmap outlines tools to help evaluate and eliminate surgical smoke based on a facility's knowledge and use of smoke and evacuation products.
She also answered audience questions about the effect COVID-19 could have on future protocols.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for style and clarity.
Question: Is COVID-19 a driver in the surgical smoke policy or legislation changes?
Melony Prince: Not initially. It is amazing to me now how our friends and colleagues are really jazzed about smoke evacuation when COVID-19 initially hit because it is 100 percent recommended that right now that evacuation is used along with an N95 mask.
COVID-19 wasn't a driving force for Rhode Island or Colorado because we did it before the pandemic hit, but I imagine that it certainly will be [for other states].
Q: Do you feel the new guidelines from the American College of Surgeons and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons regarding their recommendations on using smoke evacuation with COVID-19 suspicion will stick after the pandemic is gone?
MP: I don't feel like COVID-19 will ever be gone, but I do 100 percent. People are looking for operating room personnel, and our surgeons are so much more aware of the air in the operating room because of the pandemic. The policies that were implemented in the initial stages of COVID-19 were pretty aggressive, and it was really enlightening to be a part of it and realize just what we put ourselves in front of every day and with these aerosolizing procedures and not knowing exactly how deadly COVID-19 was.
We didn't think so much about that before, and we certainly didn't think, "I 100 percent on this case have to use a smoke evacuator." I felt for the many facilities around the country and around the world that didn't have smoke evacuation available because it absolutely reduces particulate matter in the room. So having the dual system, having a smoke evacuator along with your N95 [mask], that's what's essential. It should be standard of care, standard of practice, standard operating procedures, if you will.
View the full webinar here.