Recall of Cook Medical "Beacon Tip" Catheters
Cook Medical initiated a voluntary recall of 4,146,309 catheters with Beacon Tip technology-all lots. These catheters have been found to exhibit polymer degradation of the catheter tip, resulting in tip fracture and/or separation, with 30 Medical Device Reports as of May 4, 2016.
Cook Medical has notified its customers and distributors by recall notification letters requesting that they quarantine all potentially affected units and return them to Cook as soon as possible for credit. For information regarding the recall, contact Stericycle Expert Solutions at 1-866-201-9067.
For more information or to report other products that may have defects, go to http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form.
Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists. http://www.asahq.org/advocacy/fda-and-washington-alerts/fda-alerts/2016/05/beaco.
Bill on Advanced Practice Nurses in VA Hospitals Moves Through Congress
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) each continue to monitor legislation moving through the House and Senate Appropriations Committees regarding the independent practice of advanced practice registered nurses within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The ASA and an advocacy group it supports-Safe VA Care-are against the changes as they relate to giving full practice authority to nurse anesthetists.
The AANA and the advocacy group it supports-Veterans Access to Quality Healthcare Alliance-are for the changes.
Both groups are urging supporters to contact members of Congress to comment.
House and Senate Appropriations Committees passed FY2017 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Bills, including report language concerning the proposed VHA Nursing Handbook and the independent practice of advanced practice registered nurses within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The ASA is concerned that the legislation would remove physician anesthesiologists from Veterans' anesthesia care, which the society says is not necessary on the basis of VA data indicating there is no shortage of physician anesthesiologists in the VA medical system.1
The AANA and Veterans Access to Care support the changes to the Nursing Handbook language to "improve Veterans' access to quality healthcare by fully utilizing the services of advanced practice registered nurses in the VA."2
This is the third year that these appropriations bills have included report language raising concerns about the VHA Nursing Handbook proposal, which the ASA says would remove physician anesthesiologists from veterans' anesthesia care.
Once these bills have been considered by both the House and Senate, the next step will be to work out differences in the report language.1
Simultaneously, the VA Nursing Handbook is expected to be released soon by the Office of Management and Budget as a proposed regulation.
The ASA is urging its members to submit comments opposing any change to physician-led anesthesia care for veterans at http://www.SafeVACare.org. The AANA is directing members to Veterans Access to Care, http://www.veteransaccesstocare.com.
References