Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 45,000 from September to October, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released October 4. That is compared to an overall monthly gain of 254,000 in August and below  the average monthly gain of 57,000 over…

Read More

Editor's Note Beth Chrismer, MSN, RN, CPHRM, former director of clinical excellence at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System, shared insights into a tragic workplace violence incident that occurred in 2013 at a Texas ambulatory surgery center (ASC) at last year’s OR Manager Conference. Chrismer was risk manager at the time…

Read More

Many are quick to blame travelers for the poor state of hospital finances. However, isn’t there a difference between a traveler in the OR—an interim staff member in the hospital’s profit center—and an interim RN in an area financially supported by OR profits? What about the argument that travelers can…

Read More

For many healthcare facilities, operational costs are steadily rising, and no clearcut solution is in sight. However, some hospital systems are gradually reclaiming control over their budgets by finding ways to stabilize their finances and improve workforce morale. During the pandemic, many hospitals turned to short-term contract labor as a…

Read More

Takeaways Providers are generally seeking to reduce use of travelers through strategies such as float pools, training programs, and cultural reforms. However, travelers remain useful as a bridge to permanent staff and for difficult-to-fill positions. Best practices for selection, onboarding, team integration, and performance evaluation are essential for maximizing return…

Read More

Editor's Note According to the 2023 Wage Report from consultancy Springboard Healthcare, cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab) technologist and nurse wages have begun to stabilize in 2023, 3 years after the pandemic, Cardiovascular Business September 19 reports. Permanent nurses saw a modest wage increase of 3.7%, while travel nurses experienced…

Read More

Editor's Note Simple, non-judgmental interactions with therapy dogs could offer a valuable tool in combatting the widespread burnout seen across the healthcare industry. That’s according to a September 16 EurekAlert! news release detailing a study highlighting the emotional support benefits of therapy dogs for not only patients, but also the healthcare…

Read More

Editor's Note A new report by Mercer projects a national surplus of 30,000 nurses by 2028, but significant shortages will remain in some states and rural areas where healthcare access is already limited, according to a September 15 report in MedCity News.  For example, New York is projected to face…

Read More

Editor's Note Confusion about the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) prompted The California Department of Public Health to update guidelines for acute care hospitals, MedPage Today reported September 18. Issued after violations at two Modesto hospitals resulted in hundreds of cancelled surgeries, a letter from the…

Read More

Editor's Note The U.S. healthcare sector is projected to experience a shortage of 100,000 workers by 2028, according to an August 29 report by Mercer. This shortfall is expected to affect key roles such as nursing assistants, nurse practitioners, and specialized primary care physicians. Nursing assistants are projected to have…

Read More