and sway among your local legislators. If one group isn't on board or
included, it can derail your efforts to go smoke-free.
So how do you get all these groups on the same page? Stress your
common interests. Smoke-filled ORs mean missed time for employees
6 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 9
Rhode Island has some company in the legislative effort to ban
surgical smoke in the OR. Last month, Colorado's nurses scored
a big win when their state lawmakers passed their own law to
protect OR staff from surgical smoke. Oregon has a similar bill
that's just begun working its way through the legislative process,
as well.
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has
been spearheading the nationwide effort to pass legislation relat-
ed to those plume-generating procedures, working with local
nurses and other key figures in government to make that happen.
"The legislative approach is to have facilities have policies
addressing the evacuation of surgical smoke," says Amy L.
Hader, JD, general counsel and director of government affairs for
AORN. "We're not looking to tell facilities what kind of equipment
to use or how to use it."
Ms. Hader says surgical teams want to go smoke-free. More
and more, they're turning to their local lawmakers to support
legislation that ensures they have a healthy workplace. She
hopes to see the trend continue as other statehouses begin look-
ing at the issue.
"I think states should be proud to be early adopters of clean
air," says Ms. Hader. — Matt Nojiri
More States Look to Ban Surgical Smoke
LEGISLATIVE WATCH
