125 - SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION PRACTICES AMONG TRACS SURGEONS: A 3-MONTH AUDIT

Location: Hall E

Primary Poster Author(s)

Johnson O. Ogundare, DNP, MPH, RN, CNOR, FAORN (he/him/his)

Founder/CEO
Society for Nurses in Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery-Nigeria
West Fargo, North Dakota, United States

Co-Author(s)

MA

Mentor Ahmeti, MD (he/him/his)

Surgeon
Sanford / University of North Dakota
Sugong Chen, MD

Surgeon
Sanford Health

Disclosure(s):

Johnson O. Ogundare, DNP, MPH, CNOR, RN, FAORN: No financial relationships to disclose

Mentor Ahmeti: No financial relationships to disclose

Sugong Chen, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Description: Surgical smoke safety is a significant concern in operating rooms, but there is hope. This evidence-based quality improvement program was designed to enhance the use of smoke evacuation devices by TRACS surgeons, potentially leading to a safer surgical environment. Following initial observations of a 23% usage rate, a comprehensive intervention involving instruction, training, and ongoing supervision was deemed necessary.
Our commitment to this project's objectives is unwavering. We aimed to increase the utilization rate of surgical smoke evacuation devices among TRACS surgeons from 23% to at least 80% by the 2nd Quarter of 2024. This significantly enhances operating room safety and patient care. By comparing pre- and post-implementation data using a PICOT framework, we aimed to evaluate the algorithm's effect on device utilization from March 2024 to May 2024. The algorithm was taught to surgical teams and nurse circulators in preparation. On November 26, 2023, initial implementation was led by physician champions from five different specialties. This quality improvement project is a testament to our commitment to improving adherence to critical safety standards, ultimately leading to a safer surgical environment for patients and operating room staff.