Leadership 
Reforming instrument reprocessing practices does not always end with the main sterile processing department (SPD). Holding clinics to the same standard adds to the challenge, whether they are associated with hospitals or operate independently. Nonetheless, standardization is just as essential to maintaining efficiency and quality standards. Establishing and maintaining best…
Complex problems do not always require complex solutions. Consider the surgical safety checklist. In 2020, more than a decade after the World Health Organization (WHO) started advocating that every hospital use the checklist, research from PSNET found that more than 90% of ORs in countries with a high human development…
Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy is one of the most common procedures in the US. Performed more than 17.1 million times per year in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings as well as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), GI procedures account for 68% of all endoscopies, according to a May 2022 article in Digestive…
Competency assessment in perioperative nursing—and American healthcare in general—is a story of unrealized potential. Particularly in the wake of the pandemic, staffing shortfalls and financial pressures have made focusing on staff development difficult for nurse leaders. Nonetheless, the argument for investing more in professional development and competency has never been…
Is working with a healthcare vendor a necessary evil? For leaders in the perioperative space, where vendors abound, it may be tempting to answer “yes.” The relationship between vendors and nurse leaders is a delicate balance between give and take, but sometimes the take seems to outweigh the give. Nonetheless,…
Takeaways Meeting people where they are is a basic principle of staff development. Coaching and mentoring are fundamental to employee development, but new managers should understand the difference. Resources for staff development include education, certification, clinical ladders, committee work, and professional networking. Transitioning to leadership involves many competing pressures, but…
Healthcare continues to evolve at a fast pace with advancements in technology and treatment, which is a big reason why finding the right medical care is a daunting task. Nowadays, patients seeking healthcare services are facing several choices, each promising the best care possible. How accurate is that promise? Determining…
TAKEAWAYS • HR should be involved early in the disciplinary process to help guide OR leaders’ decision-making throughout disciplinary and/or remediatoin processes. • Timing, privacy, opportunities for employee feedback, and an empathetic approach are among the most important considerations for a final termination meeting. • Whatever the process for communicating…
TAKEAWAYS • Addressing an employee with a competency or behavior issue is important for the well-being of staff and managers. • Determining the reason for the issue is an important first step to resolving it. • Sources of support for managers include colleagues, human resources, and educators. In today’s perioperative…
Left sniffling and sneezing after a whirlwind 4 days at my first AORN Global Surgical Conference and Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, I had more on my mind than whether the term “conference-acquired infection (CAI)” was officially part of the medical nomenclature, much less whether any studies had been done. I…
