'Prove [the harmful effects of surgical smoke] to me.' My response
was, 'This is not an option; it's an administrative directive.' Everyone
needs to understand that smoke evacuators are another form of pro-
tection, just like wearing a surgical mask, scrubbing your hands
before surgery or properly disposing of sharps."
As Ms. Dennis can attest, making the decision to consistently evacu-
ate surgical smoke will not only produce a healthier environment, but
also act as a demonstrable commitment to the staff. Let me share this
anecdote to explain: After a surgeon started evacuating smoke on his
cases, the perioperative team began to ask to work with him over
other surgeons. Why? Team members noticed they felt better at the
end of the day, compared to when they worked in smoke-filled rooms.
Given the choice, an educated surgical team member will prefer to
work in a smoke-free OR — whether it's choosing one surgeon over
another or one facility over another. A smoke-free mindset is not only
the right thing to do, but it could also serve as a valuable recruitment
and retention tool.
OSM
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 8 3
Ms. Ogg (mogg@aorn.org) is a senior perioperative practice specialist with the
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses.