Clinical Practice Guideline: Tonsillectomy in Children
Terri Giordano, MSN, CRNP, CORLN served as SOHN’s representative and as a contributing author to the Academy’s Guideline on Tonsillectomy in Children. The evidence-based practice guideline Tonsillectomy in Children was published in January 2011. The guideline provides evidence based recommendations on the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care and management of children 1 to 18 years old under consideration for tonsillectomy.
National Guidelines Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Tonsillectomy in Children
Clinical Practice Guideline: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Linda T. Schuring, MSN, RN, SOHN member is a contributing author to the Academy’s guideline on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The AAO-HNSF published a multi-disciplinary, evidenced based practice guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and treat patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in November 2008. Vertigo is one of the most common underlying conditions that causes dizziness. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based recommendations on managing BPPV, the most common (inner ear) disorder in adults.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Cerumen Impaction
Helene Krouse, PhD, ANP-BC, CORLN, FAAN served as SOHN’s representative and as a contributing author to the Academy’s Guidelines on Cerumen Impaction. The Cerumen Impaction Guideline was published in September 2008 and is targeted to assist healthcare practitioners identify patients with cerumen (commonly referred to as earwax) impaction. The guidelines emphasize evidence-based management of cerumen by clinicians, and informs patients of the purpose of earwax in hearing health.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Adult Sinusitis
Helene Krouse, PhD, ANP-BC, CORLN, FAAN served as SOHN’s representative and as a contributing author to the Academy’s Guidelines on Adult Sinusitis. The evidence-based practice guideline for treating adult sinusitis was released by the AAO-HNSF in September 2007. This multi-disciplinary guideline addresses sinusitis as a common ailment that affects one in seven adults. According to the document adult sinusitis has a profound impact on the quality of life and workforce productivity, while costing the nation’s healthcare system over $5.8 billion annually and is responsible for one out of every five adult antibiotic prescriptions in the US. The Adult Sinusits Guideline was updated in 2014 with Helene Krouse participating and Maggie Kramper serving as a reviewer.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Hoarseness (Dysphonia)
Serving as SOHN’s representative to the guideline panel on hoarseness, Helene J. Krouse, PhD, RN, ANP-BC was a contributing author and Erin Ross, DNP, APRN, CNP, CORLN as peer reviewer. The evidence- based practice guideline was released by the AAO-HNSF in September 2009, This is the first clinical practice guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and manage patients with hoarseness, also known as dysphonia. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based management of hoarseness by clinicians, and educates patients on the prevalence of this common vocal health issue.
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Hoarseness (Dysphonia)
Clinical Practice Guideline: Acute Otitis Externa
Published in 2006 by the AAO-HNSF. This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations to manage diffuse acute otitis externa (AOE), defined as generalized inflammation of the external ear canal, which may also involve the pinna or tympanic membrane. The primary purpose is to promote appropriate use of oral and topical antimicrobials and to highlight the need for adequate pain relief.
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Acute Otitis Externa
Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus
Deena Hollingsworth, MSN, FNP-BC, CORLN s served as SOHN’s representative and a author on the Tinnitus Panel. The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation has released the first ever multi-disciplinary, evidence-based clinical practice guideline to improve the diagnosis and management of tinnitus, the perception of sound—often ringing—without an external sound source. “Tinnitus affects 10-15% of adults in the United States. It is the most common service-related disability among our military veterans. Yet despite its prevalence and effect on quality of life, prior to this there weren’t any evidence-based guidelines about managing tinnitus,” said Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD, a co-author of the guideline.
One of the strongest recommendations in the guideline is that clinicians differentiate between bothersome tinnitus and nonbothersome tinnitus. “About 20% of adults who experience tinnitus require clinical intervention, the rest are experiencing nonbothersome tinnitus,” explained Dr. Chandrasekhar (American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation). SOHN’s peer reviewer was Lorie Sparacino, MS, PNP-BC, CORLN.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Tympanostomy Tubes in Children
The guideline was published as a supplement in the July 2013 issue of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. Wendy Mackey, APRN-BC, CORLN served as SOHN’s representative/author to the panel and Lorie Sparacino, MS, PNP-BC, CORLN as peer reviewer. The purpose of this clinical practice guideline is to provide clinicians with evidence-based recommendations on patient selection and surgical indications for and management of tympanostomy tubes in children. This guideline is intended for any clinician involved in managing children, aged 6 months to 12 years, with tympanostomy tubes or children being considered for tympanostomy tubes in any care setting as an intervention for otitis media of any type (American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation).
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Tympanostomy Tubes in Children
Clinical Practice Guideline: Bell’s Palsy
A multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline to improve the accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment of Bell’s palsy was published November 2013 in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. The guideline is intended for clinicians in any setting who are likely to diagnose and manage patients with Bell’s palsy, the most common single nerve disorder, usually associated with facial paralysis. “The primary purpose of this guideline is to improve the accuracy of diagnosis for Bell’s palsy, to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients with Bell’s palsy, and to decrease harmful variations in the evaluation and management of Bell’s palsy,” said Reginald F. Baugh, MD, Chair of the Bell’s palsy Guideline Panel. Bell’s palsy affects both men and women across a wide range of ages. The condition is characterized by facial paralysis and distortions that can appear as facial sagging, immobility, or contraction on the affected side. The condition occurs when the facial nerve is damaged by swelling or pressure, but the exact cause of Bell’s palsy is unknown (American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation). Cindy Dawson, MSN, RN, CORLN served as SOHN’s representative to the Bell’s Palsy Guideline Panel and Lorie Sparacino, MS, PNP-BC, CORLN contributed as a peer reviewer.
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Bell’s Palsy
Consensus Statement: Tracheostomy Care Statement
This clinical consensus statement (CCS) aims to improve care for pediatric and adult patients with a tracheostomy tube. Approaches to tracheostomy care are currently inconsistent among clinicians and between different institutions. The goal is to reduce variations in practice when managing patients with a tracheostomy to minimize complications (American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation). Cheryl Brandt, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CORLN and Cindy Dawson, MSN, RN, CORLN represented SOHN as contributing authors. Published in 2013.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss
Published in 2012. Sudden hearing loss (SHL) is a frightening symptom that often prompts an urgent or emergent visit to a physician. This guideline focuses on sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), one of many causes of SHL, which, if recognized and managed promptly, may improve hearing recovery and patient quality of life (QOL). SSNHL affects 5 to 20 per 100,000 population in the United States (American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation). SOHN’s representative to the panel was Deena Hollingsworth, MSN, FNP-BC, CORLN and Lorie Sparacino, MS, PNP-BC, CORLN served as peer reviewer.
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss
Clinical Practice Guideline: Improving Voice Outcomes After Thyroid Surgery
The guideline was published as a supplement in the June 2013 issue of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. The purpose of this guideline is to optimize voice outcomes for adult patients aged 18 years or older after thyroid surgery. The target audience is any clinician involved in managing such patients, which includes but may not be limited to otolaryngologists, general surgeons, endocrinologists, internists, speech-language pathologists, family physicians and other primary care providers, anesthesiologists, nurses, and others who manage patients with thyroid/voice issues (American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation). SOHN’s representative and contributing author was Carolyn Waddington, MS, RN, FNP, CORLN.
National Guideline Clearinghouse: Clinical Practice Guideline: Improving Voice Outcomes After Thyroid Surgery
Otitis Media with Effusion
Under development. Wendy Mackey, APRN-BC, CORLN is SOHN’s representative to the guideline panel.
Clinical Practice Guideline: Allergic Rhinitis
Under development. Helene Krouse, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN, CORLN is SOHN’s representative on the panel. Contributing as a peer reviewer is Michele Farrington, BSN, RN, CPOHN.