Press Releases

NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Honored with Dual ‘Go Clear’ and Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety Awards By AORN

Queens Hospital recognized for excellence in smoke evacuation and prevention of retained surgical items

Oct 08, 2024

Queens, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens has achieved a significant milestone by being recognized by the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) with two prestigious awards: the ‘Go Clear’ Award, designating the facility as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation, and the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of Retained Surgical Items (RSI). Surgical smoke is a hazardous byproduct of any surgery involving a laser or an electrosurgical unit, and the Go Clear Award signifies that Queens Hospital’s surgical teams have successfully completed the comprehensive, evidence-based program and adopted technologies to ensure a surgical smoke-free environment for its patients and staff. Unintentionally retained surgical items, or RSIs, refer to any surgical sponge, instrument, tool, or device that is unintentionally left in the patient at the completion of a surgery or other procedure, and the Prevention of RSI award signifies the hospital has successfully completed the months-long comprehensive, evidence-based program. This dual recognition underscores the hospital’s unwavering commitment to providing high-quality and safe patient care. AORN’s Guidelines for Perioperative Practice serve as the gold standard for evidence-based recommendations, ensuring safe and effective perioperative patient care while safeguarding workplace safety.

The ‘Go Clear’ Award highlights the hospital’s commitment to eliminating surgical smoke in operating rooms, making NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens the first facility in the borough to achieve this esteemed designation. “AORN’s Go Clear Award, alongside the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of RSI, signifies that our surgical teams at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens have successfully completed rigorous, evidence-based programs aimed at enhancing patient safety through a smoke-free surgical atmosphere,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Chief Executive Officer Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE. “I am deeply honored that our facility is recognized by an organization like AORN, which prioritizes patient and workplace safety as the foundation of quality healthcare.”

Additionally, the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of RSI award acknowledges the hospital’s ongoing mission to reduce the risk of surgical errors and improve the education of its surgical team in preventing retained surgical items. “Unintentionally retained surgical items have been identified as one of the most common sentinel events in surgical or invasive procedures,” stated Linda Groah, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN, AORN’s Executive Director/CEO. “This recognition, along with the Go Clear Award, confirms the dedication of NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens to advancing surgical safety practices and enhancing the care environment for patients and practitioners alike.”

Abbi-Gail Baboolal, DNP, FNP, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, expressed pride in receiving both awards: “We are immensely proud to receive AORN’s prestigious ‘Go Clear’ Award as a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation and the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of Retained Surgical Items. Our surgical teams have worked diligently to foster a culture of safety, understand the necessary steps to mitigate surgical risks, and promote collaboration within our department. Despite the constant challenges that arise in the OR, we remain steadfast in our dedication to the well-being of our patients and staff.”

The establishment of these Centers of Excellence reflects NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens’ focused efforts on enhancing patient safety and care quality. The initiative to reduce surgical smoke and prevent RSIs aligns with AORN’s ongoing commitment to improving the surgical environment. Through these important recognitions, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens solidifies its position as a leader in delivering exceptional healthcare services, including a broad spectrum of surgical specialties. The community can be assured of its dedication to providing safe, high-quality patient care.

The Department of Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens offers comprehensive surgical services delivered by an outstanding group of board-certified surgeons. These services include office evaluations and treatments, Ambulatory Surgery, and in-hospital care across a variety of specialties, such as general surgery, breast surgery, colorectal surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, plastic surgery, hand surgery, and podiatric surgery. The department is dedicated to utilizing the latest minimally invasive techniques aimed at enhancing patient recovery and outcomes.

For further information or to schedule a consultation with our surgical staff, please call (718) 883-3131 or click here.

###

#164-24

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
A member of NYC Health and Hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens is a major health care provider in the borough of Queens. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. The year 2015 marked its 80th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, having first opened its doors as Queens General Hospital in 1935. Encompassing 360,000 square feet, it comprises 253 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care suites featuring both primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four Centers of Excellence: Cancer Care, Diabetes Management, Women’s Health, and Behavioral Health.  The hospital has recently added a fully expanded Emergency Room, a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence accredited by the American College of Radiology, and a Total Hip and Knee Replacement Center, with plans underway to build the Health System’s first Dialysis Center to train patients to perform their own at-home dialysis.  To learn more about NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/queens/.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About AORN
Founded in 1949, the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses represents the interests of more than 200,000 perioperative nurses by providing evidence-based research, nursing education, standards, and practice resources to enable optimal outcomes for patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures. For more information visit www.aorn.org.