SMOKE EVACUATION AND MANAGEMENT AND STAFF WELL-BEING

A smoke-free environment is an excellent initiative for our hospital as the AORN Gold Go Clear distinction will promote the recruitment and retention of team members and shows our dedication to promoting the health of our patients and staff. According to an article published in the AORN Journal in January 2021, surgical smoke is defined as a "visible plume of aerosolized combustion byproducts produced during electrosurgery. [...]the hospital is the first Baylor Scott & White facility to achieve the AORN Surgical Smoke-Free Recognition Program Go Clear Award: Gold Level. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a study from 2021 stated that nearly half of Americans surveyed reported recent symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder,