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October 2020 See the full issue

Faulty bronchoscope reprocessing raises risks of infection transmission

Preventing infection transmission has been a chief concern of healthcare leaders and staff striving to protect their patients and themselves from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus poses an insidious threat that includes the possibility of bronchoscopy-associated transmission of COVID-19. Long before the pandemic, epidemiologist and researcher Cori…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
October 21, 2020
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Most OR nurse leaders find jobs rewarding despite COVID-19

Results from the 2020 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey show that despite the turbulent times, most OR leaders view their work favorably; 77% are satisfied with their jobs, with nearly a third describing themselves as “completely satisfied.” This might seem surprising in light of COVID-19, but many nurse leaders are…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
October 21, 2020
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Editorial

Surveys this past year seem to have proliferated, many of them related to the COVID-19 pandemic. What has worked? What hasn’t? What are the next steps? Resuming surgical procedures after the springtime hiatus has helped regain some lost ground. Even as cases of the virus surged in many parts of…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
October 21, 2020
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Think 'outside the blocks' to shore up balance sheets

Editor’s Note: This article from Whitman Partners addresses some ways OR nurse leaders can help their health systems recover from the financial fallout and disruption in normal processes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitman Partners is a Portland, Oregon-based specialty search firm dedicated to placing directors of surgical services at…

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By: Carisa Brewster
October 21, 2020
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Consider a PSH as a post-pandemic strategy

Across the US, surgical services are estimated to comprise around 20% of national health spending and typically generate up to 70% of total health system revenue.1, 2 That makes surgical services the largest revenue generator for a hospital, supporting access to numerous other healthcare services. Considering the average hospital has…

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By: Barbara McClenathan, MBA-HCM, BSN, RN, CNOR and Lisa Branding, MHSA
October 21, 2020
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Timely delivery needed to ensure safety of loaned instruments

Imagine that during a total joint surgical procedure, debris comes out of a surgical instrument and lands directly inside a patient’s open wound. Although such a scenario is rare, when it does occur, it creates a major patient infection risk. Many standards and guidelines recommend best practices that can help…

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By: Susan Klacik, BS, CRCST, ACE, CIS, FCS
October 21, 2020
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Incentive payments push staff to reach productivity goals

Any process improvement project is far more likely to succeed with backing from leadership. The familiar phrase, “the buck stops here,” reflects a mindset that applies to OR managers who take ownership of what happens to their patients and their staffs every day. But what if they could say, “the…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
October 21, 2020
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Survey: COVID-19 is a worry, but compensation remains stable

The COVID-19 pandemic is top of mind for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders, finds the OR Manager 2020 Salary/Career Survey. Most of the 69 ASC leaders who completed the survey responded to an open-ended question about how the pandemic had affected their facility and staff, with the most frequent comments…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
October 21, 2020
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Successful supply chain management in an ASC

With more technologically advanced procedures being performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), it’s increasingly important to monitor data on supplies and manage physician preferences for particular implants. Physicians don’t always realize that reimbursement is lower for many procedures performed in an ASC than in hospitals, and therefore they may not…

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By: Fawn Esser-Lipp, MBA, BSN, RN, CASC, CNOR
October 21, 2020
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