charge of taking care of our health working in a smoky environment,"
says Jennifer Pennock, senior manager of government affairs for
AORN.
• Stick to the facts. Arm nurses and surgeons with evidence and
data — literature left in lounges and sent through emails — that gets
their attention with hard facts. "I have conversations with surgeons
and they literally do not know about this problem," says Melony
Prince, BSN, RN, CNOR, clinical nurse educator at Littleton (Colo.)
Adventist Hospital. "I give them case studies and share specific, real-
world examples."
• Raise awareness. Let the staff know about the user-friendly fea-
tures on the latest smoke evacuation products. "I think that an obsta-
cle to getting things rolling was people had to feel comfortable with
the equipment," says Janelle Casanave, RN, circulating nurse at Kaiser
Permanente in San Jose, Calif. "Members of the surgical team have to
feel like they're educated on what's out there."
• Make it personal. You'll hear personal stories from panelists that
will detail why they were motivated to take up the cause of ridding
the OR of surgical smoke.
"We face occupational hazards every day, and now that I'm more
aware of those hazards, I want to do something about it," says Ms.
Casanave.
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