Ohio. "The more that staff are exposed to the surgical smoke, the
more likely they'll increase their chance of having issues."
Getting e ver yone on board
About 40% of those who responded to the survey say they don't evac-
uate smoke for all procedures where it's produced, with many saying
the biggest hurdle is getting staff and surgeons on board. "The hospi-
tal has introduced the surgical field smoke evacuators, but surgeon
resistance is an issue," says a manager. There are plenty of evacuator
options that will both remove smoke and please your surgeons,
from freestanding devices to electrosurgery instruments with inte-
grated evacuators, says Dr. Ball. She says no matter which style you
choose, it's important to look for one that uses an ultra-low pene-
tration air (ULPA) filter with 0.1 micron filtration capability, which
is nearly 100% effective in capturing smoke particulate matter.
Manufacturers have also been working to address ergonomic and
noise problems to make evacuators more pleasant to use, she says.
"I've presented the facts to our staff, but there seems to be some
resistance to using the smoke evacuator," says DeAnn Wittrock, RN,
BSN, CNOR, nurse educator at Alaska Native Medical Center in
Anchorage. "The supplies are available, so it is just a change in culture
to start making it a priority."
Several say that the best way to increase compliance is to explain
the dangers of the smoke, and to find a physician champion who can
work with other surgeons. Ms. Weinberg says that the key to her hos-
5 9
February 2015 | O U T PAT I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T
"Our campus is a smoke-
free environment, so why
aren't our ORs smoke-free?"
