The American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Issues New Tonsillectomy in Children Clinical Practice Guideline

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.

Sage: http://oto.sagepub.com/content/144/1_suppl/S1.full.pdf+html
National Guidelines Clearinghouse:  Coming soon!

Clinical practice guideline: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Linda T. Schuring, MSN, RN, SOHN member and journal editor,  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.

PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18973840
National Guidelines Clearinghouse: http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=13403&search=vertigo

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.

PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707628
National Guidelines Clearinghouse: http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=13402&search=cerumen+impaction

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.

PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17761281
National Guidelines Clearinghouse: http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=12385&search=adult+sinusitis

Clinical Practice Guideline: hoarseness
Helene J. Krouse, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, SOHN Member and Past President served as SOHN's representative and as a contributing author to the Academy's Guidelines on Hoarseness. 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.

PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19729111
National Guideline Clearinghouse: http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=15203&search=hoarseness

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.

Pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16638473
National Guideline Clearinghouse: http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=9310&search=acute+otitis+externa