Support Smoke-Free Surgical Sites in Utah!!

UNA Urges All Utah Nurses to Contact Legislators NOW!!

Utah Nurses Association is working with the Utah Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) to pass surgical smoke evacuation legislation in the state of Utah.

On Friday, January 28th, HB 58, the bill to ensure that surgical smoke is evacuated in every OR in the state, was heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee.  It was passed from committee and will have a full House vote in the next 2 weeks.  Bill sponsor, Representative Rosemary Lesser, MD, is seeking a wide coalition of support from our perioperative colleagues and nurses across the state.  

Please use the Email Guidelines below to communicate your support for this important legislation to your member(s) of the Utah House of Representatives (see http://house.utah.gov/house-members/ and search by your zip code)

Current information regarding this bill can be found at : https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0058.html

We welcome any questions you may have and greatly appreciate your support of this important legislation to protect all surgical staff and patients.

Thank you, and please feel free to reach out via email or phone.

Diane Forster-Burke MS, RN
Government Relations Committee (co-chair)
office@utnurse.org
801-699-4841

EMAIL Guidelines Supporting
HB 58 Surgical Smoke Evacuation Systems Requirements (Rep. Lesser)

A short, but personal email, with the following points would be great!

• Identify yourself as a voter in the legislator’s district and that you are personally vested in this bill.
• Identify yourself as a health care provider, include your credentials and describe what you do as a provider.
• State your concern about the health and safety effect in our current COVID environment.
• Express your support for House Bill 58 sponsored by Rep Lesser and that this bill is important to you as a health care provider.
• Smoke evacuation for surgical procedures is a health and safety issue that will ultimately improve your job or the jobs of staff that are assigned to surgical suites.
• Many providers in a surgical suite are exposed to surgical smoke for up to 12 hours per day.

Once again, please emphasize that this is a personal contact to your legislator.