ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR SURGICAL SAFETY: SMOKE EVACUATION

(Pictured, from left: Patricia Ortlip, perioperative nurse manager; Linda DeLong, RN; Harvey Booth, surgical tech; Amy Holloway, director of surgical services; and Melissa Lambertson, first assist surgical tech.)

Atlantic General Hospital has been recognized by the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation, earning the prestigious Go Clear™ Award. This national recognition underscores Atlantic General Hospital’s unwavering commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for both patients and surgical staff by effectively eliminating the hazards of surgical smoke.  

The AORN Go Clear™ Award signifies that Atlantic General Hospital’s surgical teams have successfully completed AORN’s comprehensive, evidence-based program and implemented advanced technologies to ensure a smoke-free environment wherever surgical smoke is generated. This achievement demonstrates the facility’s proactive approach to protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone in the operating room.

"As a surgical team, we share a commitment to preventing harm, and eliminating surgical smoke is a critical component of our safety initiative,” stated Amy Holloway, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, NE-BC, Atlantic General Hospital Director of Surgical Services and Supply Chain. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to patient safety and the wellbeing of the surgical team. We are proud to receive the AORN Go Clear Award."  

Surgical smoke, a hazardous byproduct of energy-generating devices such as electrosurgery units, lasers, ultrasonic devices, and powered surgical instruments like orthopedic saws, poses significant health risks to those exposed. Atlantic General Hospital recognizes the importance of eliminating this risk and has taken proactive steps to ensure a smoke-free surgical environment.

“Surgical smoke occurs every day in operating rooms and poses health risks to those exposed to it. AORN created this program so that every facility can understand the urgency and take steps to protect the health and safety of patients, nurses, physicians and support staff,” said David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, AORN CEO & Executive Director. “This Center of Excellence for Surgical Safety designation shows the community that the surgical teams at Atlantic General Hospital are committed to providing high-quality care.”