Successful recruitment and retention of engaged employees--Part 2
—Part 1 of this two-part series, published in the September issue of OR Manager, discussed staff engagement and how to hire engaged staff. Once staff are hired, it’s important to keep them engaged and measure the level of engagement. This article describes how to do that. How do you…
Successful recruitment and retention of engaged employees—Part 1
As part of the 25th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, nearly one-fourth of respondents from ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) reported an increase in the turnover rate for RNs in the past 12 months, and many said they have at least one open position. In the comments section of the survey,…
Creating a culture of retention for perioperative nursing staff
The best way to have a surgical facility that serves patients and employees well is to create and nurture a culture of retention, a veteran nurse and management consultant says. Keeping good nurses is the goal, and it requires a careful strategy. Interestingly, money is not the only—not even the…
Hospital institutes $100,000 bonuses to improve nurse retention
Editor's Note Palomar Health, a hospital system in Escondido, California, reports improvement in nurse retention after instituting $100,000 sign-on bonuses for new nurses and $100,000 retention bonuses to current staff paid over a three-year period. Becker’s Hospital Review reported the news on January 17. The $100,000 bonuses were instituted in March…
Women increasingly working into their 60s, 70s
Editor's Note New studies of census, earnings, and retirement data show that women’s career paths are more closely mirroring men’s, including an increasing tendency to work full-time into their 60 and 70s, the February 11 New York Times reports. About 30% of women aged 65 to 69 are working, which…
Study: Residual moisture, waterborne pathogens found inside flexible endoscopes
Editor's Note Inadequate reprocessing and insufficient drying contributed to retained fluid and contamination found inside flexible endoscopes in this study led by noted epidemiologist Cori L. Ofstead. Of 45 endoscopes analyzed at 3 hospitals, fluid was detected in 49%, and the prevalence of moisture varied significantly by site (5%, 83%,…
Higher staff turnover correlates with volume increase at ASCs
As surgical volume increases, staffing challenges are trending slightly upward for OR leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), with increases in open positions and turnover, according to the 2016 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than half of respondents (56%) reported higher surgical volumes during the past 12 months, significantly…
Survey: OR staff low in volume, experience, engagement--Part 3
High staff engagement contributes to the success of an organization, but OR managers are finding it tough to engage their staffs, given the multitude of changes in healthcare and stressors in the OR. In the final article of this three-part series, OR Manager examines the challenge of staff engagement, along…
'Reality-based rules' diffuse drama in the OR
All of the keynote presentations at the 2017 OR Manager Conference offered much food for thought, but probably the most memorable one was Cy Wakeman’s riveting talk on the impact of “drama” in the workplace. That resonated with OR leaders who struggle against the tide of negative attitudes among their…
Hospital-academia partnerships steer new nurses to the OR
Traditionally, nursing students have had little exposure to the perioperative setting, creating a challenge for OR leaders seeking to build the future workforce. How can they spark interest in the OR, if students haven’t experienced it? One way is for hospitals to partner with schools of nursing. Two innovative programs…