Empowering Nurse Executives to Advocate for Surgical Smoke–Free Operating Rooms

Evacuating surgical smoke in the operating room protects patients and perioperative teams from hazards associated with inhaling smoke. States have passed bills mandating health care facilities ambulatory surgery centers adopt policies to evacuate We use a 5-step process for identifying options reduce exposure harmful toxins found recommend executive nurse leaders collaborate states professional organizations pursue evacuation legislation. This strategy empowers work state legislators Rebecca Vortman, DNP, RN, CNOR, is clinical assistant professor at University of Illinois Chicago College Nursing Springfield, Illinois. She can be reached [email protected] Janet Thorlton, PhD, MS, associate Champaign,