Recent Tech Innovations
Smart Glasses for Knee Surgery
The FDA is clearing the way for orthopedic surgeons to use Augmented Reality glasses that overlay visual aids on their field of view. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, the glasses will become a hub for information exchange with connected tools, such as robotic arms. Read more…
3-D Bioprinting to Create Custom-Shaped Cartilage
Researchers at the Univeristy of Alberta are using 3-D bioprinting to create custom-shaped cartilage for use in restorative surgery, writes Ross Neitz in the University of Alberta publication, Folio. “The researchers used a specially designed hydrogel—a material similar to Jell-O—that could be mixed with cells harvested from a patient and then printed in a specific shape captured through 3-D imaging. Over a matter of weeks, the material is cultured in a lab to become functional cartilage,” Neitz wrote. Read more…
3-D Printing Tech Helps Surgeons Correct Birth Defect in Utero
A state-of-the-art in-utero procedure allows surgeons to correct a birth defect on developing babies inside the womb. But operating on a mother and her unborn child at the same time can be challenging and unpredictable.
To give their surgeons even more information ahead of surgery, Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies is using MRI and ultrasound imaging along with 3D-printing technology to create a first-of-its-kind detailed model that allows surgeons to plan procedures ahead of time, identifying potential obstacles and reducing the risks of surgery. Read more…
Using Algorithms to Gauge Unconsciousness Under General Anesthesia
“Anesthestic drugs act on the brain but most anesthesiologists rely on heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement to infer whether surgery patients remain unconscious to the desired degree,” reads this report from the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT. “In a new study, a research team based at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital shows that a straightforward artificial intelligence approach, attuned to the kind of anesthetic being used, can yield algorithms that assess unconsciousness in patients based on brain activity with high accuracy and reliability.” Read more…
Student Spotlight: Teresa Mendez
Credentials
APRN
Student Status
Current student in NIFA’s RNFA program
City & State
West Palm Beach, FL
Current Position
Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP
Where did you get your RN degree?
I got my BSN from South University (Royal Palm Beach, FL) and my MSN from Barry University (Miami Shores, FL).
How did you come to choose perioperative nursing?
I’m an acute care NP with an interest in going into cardiothoracic surgery, so I decided to enroll with NIFA.
What is one technique or RNFA trick you’ve learned from NIFA that you will use for life?
Trauma suture and chest tube suture / tying technique.
How do you feel having your RNFA will impact your life/career?
It will forever elevate my career as an NP and APRN FA. It will be a career change for me.
Jobs Front
Click here for the RNFA job postings we’ve collected for you this month.
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Practice Resources
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIFA. NIFA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the accuracy of statements made by our contributors and does not accept any liability for error or omission. It is the responsibility of all perioperative personnel to work within and adhere to their facility bylaws and individual scope of practice.
Regular readers of this e-newsletter are familiar with Dr. Glenn Geelhoed, NIFA faculty member. He’s the driving force behind Mission to Heal, a medical mission organization that helps to heal the sick and injured in the most remote regions of the world.