Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Connecticut, and Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island, both part of Yale New Haven Health, have earned the Go Clear™ Award from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), a Center of Excellence distinction in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation.

The award signifies that surgical teams at both hospitals completed AORN's comprehensive, evidence-based program and implemented advanced technologies to ensure a smoke-free environment wherever surgical smoke, a hazardous byproduct of laser and electrosurgical procedures, is generated, protecting both patients and surgical staff.

Shannon Christian, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer for Lawrence + Memorial and Westerly hospitals, credited the surgical teams who adopted the practices behind the award. "Earning the Go Clear™ Award reflects our commitment to creating the safest possible environment for both our patients and our caregivers. Our surgical teams have embraced evidence-based practices and advanced technology to eliminate surgical smoke in the operating room, ensuring healthier conditions for everyone involved in patient care. This recognition is a testament to their dedication, collaboration and unwavering focus on safety and quality. We are proud of the collaboration and dedication that made this achievement possible."

Greenwich Hospital earned the AORN Center of Excellence distinction in 2020, and Bridgeport Hospital and Yale New Haven Hospital have previously eliminated surgical smoke from their operating rooms.

The designation is part of AORN's effort to help facilities act on the daily presence of surgical smoke in operating rooms. "Surgical smoke occurs every day in operating rooms and poses health risks to those exposed to it. AORN created this program so that every facility can understand the urgency and take steps to protect the health and safety of patients, nurses, physicians, and support staff," said David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, AORN CEO and executive director. "This Center of Excellence for Surgical Safety designation shows the community that the surgical teams at Lawrence + Memorial and Westerly hospitals are committed to providing high-quality care."

The designation adds two more hospitals to the Yale New Haven Health facilities that have taken the smoke-free step, extending the standard to more operating rooms across Connecticut and Rhode Island.