During October's OR Manager Conference in Anaheim, Calif., neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, MD, FAANS, FACS, FCNS, of Longstreet Clinic in Gainesville, Ga., focused on how perioperative teams can better communicate in the OR. She noted that breaking these communication barriers isn't simply a matter of improving workplace culture and the psychological…

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In any OR, a combustible combination of personalities and stressful situations can set off a chain of reactions that can at best lengthen surgeries or hurt feelings and at worst jeopardize patient safety and outcomes. As a board-certified neurosurgeon at Longstreet Clinic in Gainesville, Ga., Betsy Grunch, MD, FAANS, FACS,…

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Although certification can be a career accelerator for any nurse, perioperative nurses in particular appear to be getting the message. Consider the most recent data from the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc (ABPANC), which offers the Magnet-recognized Certified Postanesthesia Nurse (CPAN) and Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA) credentials.…

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Editor's Note In this session focused on the roles and responsibilities of a business manager in the perioperative environment, Blas Brown, Jr, MBA, business director of perioperative services at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, emphasized the importance of technical and interpersonal skills. Specifically, he said, being business savvy is key to…

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Editor's Note Individuals with preoperative depression are at significantly higher risk of developing postoperative delirium, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies involving a total of 4.6 million patients. Published September 4 in Anaesthesia, the study is first review to quantify the incidence and risk of postoperative…

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Takeaways Successful collaboration requires prioritizing teamwork and aligning new projects and ideas with the overarching goals of the organization. Strategies for making the case for a new project or initiative include establishing subject matter expertise, tailoring the message, and having a win-win mindset. The most influential leaders understand others’ perspectives…

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The administrator of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) wears many hats, doing every odd job in the book to keep their free-standing center safe, compliant, and operational. But what does “wearing many hats” mean exactly? OR Manager spoke with Nyleen Flores, CPMSM, CPCS, CPCO, CASC, chief administrative officer at Lake…

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For me, the answer is easy. For 25 years I have consistently said, “I’ve never nursed an OR a day in my life; it’s always been the patients.” As perioperative nurses, what we do is about more than where we work. Why is it that 25 years after the Association…

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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…

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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,…

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