A case is getting ready to start. The radio is playing. The surgeon is helping position the patient. The anesthesiologist is giving the antibiotic. Someone is hooking up the suction. The circulating nurse is calling for the time-out to verify the surgical site, but no one is paying much attention.…

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Staff shortages continue to challenge OR managers and directors, according to the 18th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey for 2008. In the eighth year the staffing questions have been asked, the percentage of open positions was unchanged for RNs, with positions open slightly longer than a year ago. Once again,…

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The staffing news for OR nurse leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is good. The number of open positions is down for RNs and unchanged for surgical technologists (STs) compared to 2007, with the turnover rate lower for both. Still, recruitment difficulties remain. Those are some highlights from the 18th…

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A case of an item left behind after surgery can be like a canary in a coal mine—a signal that an OR department has systems problems. Retained items often happen as a result of poor communication and faulty processes. Perhaps nurses aren't using a standardized counting procedure in all ORs.…

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Two surgeons and a pilot meet, interestingly, on an airplane. They begin comparing notes. They learn that the OR and the cockpit have a lot in common—both are intense, high-stakes environments. And both are vulnerable to potentially disastrous communication breakdowns. Pilot Jack Barker, PhD, (right) will lead seminar. On left…

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Three more preventable conditions have been added to the list of those Medicare will no longer pay extra for in hospitals in fiscal year 2009, which starts Oct 1, 2008. Medicare also added 13 quality measures for a total of 42 that will need to be reported for a full…

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Fourth article in a series on performance management. Elements of performance management Job description Initial competencies Orientation Goal setting/ performance planning Competency assessment Coaching, mentoring, and recognition Performance evaluation Self-evaluation Peer evaluation Performance enhancement plan. This article continues to build on the first 3 articles in this series, published in…

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Managing an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) entails more than delivering patient care and keeping the facility well equipped and supplied. It also means managing the people who work there—a delicate proposition for results-oriented administrators who may find themselves in charge of employees with a wide range of technical and social…

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