ASHLAND – University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center announced that it has earned the Go Clear Award Gold Recognition for its achievement in eliminating hazardous smoke from its surgical procedures.
This award was presented on Jan. 4, acknowledging University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center as the first hospital in Ohio to receive the award.
“Our Gold Level AORN Go Clear award is the newest evidence of our commitment to safety here at UHSMC. This achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our surgery staff, surgeons, and anesthesiologists.
“I am beyond proud of what they have accomplished,” stated Jennifer Willis, Nurse Manager at UH Samaritan Medical Center.
The Go Clear Award is presented by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) to recognize health care facilities that have committed to providing increased surgical patient and health care worker safety by implementing practices that eliminate smoke caused by the use of lasers and electrosurgery devices during surgery.
University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center earned its award by undergoing comprehensive surgical smoke education and testing and for providing the medical devices and resources necessary to evacuate surgical smoke during all smoke-generating procedures.
Surgical smoke is the unwanted by-product of energy-generating devices that are used in 90 percent of all surgeries. Its contents include toxic chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, viruses, bacteria, blood and cancer cells. Studies compare the inhalation of smoke from vaporized human tissue to the smoke created by cigarettes; the average daily impact of surgical smoke to the surgical team is equivalent to inhaling 27-30 unfiltered cigarettes.
“Total evacuation needs to become the standard for all procedures that generate surgical smoke,” said Linda Groah, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN, CEO/Executive Director of AORN. “With this award, University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center is demonstrating its deep commitment to the health and safety of its staff and community.”
