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December 2019 See the full issue

Daily Tiered Huddles help prioritize and resolve OR problems

When you have a problem, are you empowered to solve it? What happens when staff encounter an obstacle? Cleveland Clinic’s Tiered Huddle process empowers all caregivers to see problems and tackle issues on their own or escalate them for assistance. The tiered huddles have energized teams to work across the…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
November 18, 2019
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Supportive leaders boost staying power of nursing staff--Part 2

Retaining well-performing staff reduces the amount of resources, particularly time and money, that OR leaders need to spend on recruiting and training new employees. Part 1 of this two-part series provided an overview of retention issues and discussed the importance of the leader’s role and a positive work culture (OR…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
November 18, 2019
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Editorial

Producing OR Manager each month and OR a.m. at the start of every day imposes a perpetual sense of time speeding by as we curate a wealth of information to help readers excel in their daily mission. We believe that OR Manager and OR a.m. together direct readers to the…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
November 18, 2019
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2020 OR Business Management Conference around the corner

Anyone seeking a break from the winter weather and a stimulating educational experience will find both at the 2020 OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC), which takes place January 27-30 in Weston, Florida. The highly relevant and timely presentations, along with networking events that connect OR business professionals with colleagues and…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
November 18, 2019
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Establishing quality standards for ERAS care elements

At Virginia Commonwealth University System (VCU Health) in Richmond, we are using quality standards to establish operational definitions for elements of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). This article describes what those standards are and how they are implemented. Previous articles in this series appeared in the October 2019 and November…

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By: OR Manager
November 18, 2019
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Sterilization trumps high-level disinfection for semicritical items

In the never-ending quest to improve patient care, we are always seeking better ways to process medical devices. Many leading experts now recommend transitioning from high-level disinfection (HLD) to sterilization for semicritical items. Semicritical items are instruments or objects that contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin of a patient, but…

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By: Susan Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, CIS, FCS
November 18, 2019
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L&D overhaul may produce greater efficiency, satisfaction

A strong labor and delivery (L&D) department is a key driver of hospital success. L&D not only contributes significantly to hospital profitability, it plays an important role in establishing and cementing patient loyalty. And as hospitals increasingly take responsibility for community health, an effective birth program can make a measurable…

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By: OR Manager
November 18, 2019
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A primer for starting a total joint replacement program

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have increasing incentives to offer total joint replacements (TJR) as Medicare expands the list of covered procedures. However, there’s a lot to consider in this particular service line. “There are many things to arrange that aren’t required with other service lines, particularly as home care of…

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By: OR Manager
November 18, 2019
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