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ognize its hazards." Her hospital's choice of evacuation equipment
makes it as easy as possible for them to act, though. A Bovie pencil
with built-in suction automatically evacuates smoke without them
having to hit a switch or pedal every time they're cauterizing. It also
means they don't have to continuously listen to the sound of suction,
and intermittent use increases the life of the suction filter. If a surgeon
doesn't use the device — and he has to provide a solid reason why
not, she says, such as it obstructs his view of the site — another
smoke removal method is set up and noted on his preference cards.
"I'm a firm believer that education and communication solve any
problem," says Mr. Scroggins, who estimates evacuation device use in
his health system's cases is at 70% to 80%. "Find your champion nurses and physicians. Do your research: Doctors are scientists, they want
to see proof."
And to those who, for whatever reason, don't want to use the smoke
evacuation equipment on hand, he extends an offer. "If something isn't
meeting your needs, I have the equipment catalog in my office. If there's
something that works for you, we'll get it. We have the full support of
administration to do so," he says. "Then they can't say they didn't use it
because they didn't have it. That wouldn't be true." OSM
E-mail dbernard@outpatientsurgery.net.
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