Keeping the staffing pipeline open with tighter OR education budgets
The tough economy has meant leaner budgets and fewer OR staff vacancies to fill. But OR leaders know they still face staffing challenges in the years ahead. Eventually, nurses who have been asking for more hours will start to retire. ORs need to keep the pipeline open for new candidates,…
ASC staffing strong; challenges remain
OR nurse leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have fewer open positions and lower turnover rates than hospitals, but recruitment of experienced OR staff remains a challenge. Those are some findings from the 2007 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. The survey was mailed in May to 1,000 nurse managers of…
Recession tests surgery center staffing
The economic downturn has checked in at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), although with less impact than in hospital OR suites. More than two-thirds (69%) of ASC respondents to the 19th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey said the downturn had affected their staffing in the past 6 months, primarily through decreased…
OR staffing picture worsens, with RN vacancies, open positions up
OR nursing leaders are facing a worsening shortage of staff, particularly RNs, according to the 2007 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. In the survey's seventh year of including staffing issues, the number of open positions and vacancy rates rose in contrast to last year, when the shortage seemed to be…
A look back: 10 years of staffing data show scope of challenges for OR leaders
Takeaways The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated staffing problems, and although some parameters have improved, challenges remain. Surgical volume took a sharp drop during the pandemic but is now rebounding. Over the years, the gap in difficulty between recruiting RNs and recruiting STs has narrowed. Last month, OR Manager looked back on…
Planning and staffing a hybrid OR
"Building hybrid rooms is building for the future," says Nicholas D. Troeleman, RNFA, director of perioperative services at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), Baltimore. "Having hybrid rooms in a research setting like the University of Maryland gives physician researchers the ability to develop new techniques and build on…
Hospitals curtail outpatient care, ramp up staffing in advance of solar eclipse
Editor's Note Monday’s solar eclipse has prompted hospitals in affected areas to implement precautionary measures in advance of an expected influx of visitors as well as potential communication and other difficulties, Becker’s Hospital Review reported April 2. Areas in the path of totality, which stretches from Central Texas to Northeastern…
Meeting the SPD staffing challenge
Takeaways • Failure to understand the complexity of the work performed in the sterile processing department (SPD) can lead to staff shortages, errors, and significant financial loss. • Strategies for addressing SPD staffing include effective orientation, certification, competency assessment, analyzing staffing needs, and leader visibility. • SPD schedules should reflect…
How internal staffing agencies benefit the OR suite
Many health systems rely on external, third-party agencies to deploy nurses and other staff. But when a situation arises in the OR, it is often more advantageous to have a familiar face who knows the procedures of that OR suite. Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh has a policy in its…
How internal staffing agencies benefit the OR suite
Takeaways Clinical hours per case is a simple, yet effective, productivity metric. Analysis of productivity measures can include benchmarking against external and internal data. A positive work culture will improve staff productivity. Many health systems rely on external, third-party agencies to deploy nurses and other staff. But when a situation…