Editor's Note Travel nurses and permanent staff nurses share similar perceptions of their work environments and ethical workplace climates, according to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration. The results challenge common assumptions about differences between these two groups and emphasize the need for nurse leaders to facilitate…

Read More

Editor's Note A recent article in AORN Journal underscores the need for vigilance and thorough documentation to manage postoperative mental status changes and prevent harm to both patients and staff. As detailed in the article, cognitive disturbances such as delirium and agitation can complicate recovery after surgery. Delirium is characterized…

Read More

Editor's Note Nearly half of hospital harm events—particularly surgical events—were not captured by reporting systems, according to a July 30 TechTarget report on new findings from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG report examined 299 harm events experienced by a nationally representative sample of 770 Medicare patients discharged…

Read More

Editor's Note A recent article from Cleveland Clinic details the use of confidential staff forums to address barriers to escalating patient care concerns, resulting in greater caregiver engagement and targeted improvements. Published July 25, the article describes how nursing leaders collaborated with the Cleveland Clinic Alliance for Patient and Caregiver…

Read More

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Emergency preparedness: Identifying essential supplies for unplanned surgical events. While the main article outlines the principles of emergency readiness and supply preparation in the OR, the posts below offer a closer look at two key implementation areas: Supply…

Read More

Editor's Note A July 16 study published in BMC Research Notes found that mental fatigue among perioperative nurses is significantly associated with increased rates of missed perioperative nursing care.  This cross-sectional study surveyed 385 operating room nurses working in university-affiliated hospitals in East Azerbaijan, Iran. Participants met inclusion criteria related…

Read More

While most emergency surgical procedures are carried out uneventfully and safely, the OR is also a place where potentially life-threatening and least-expected instances can arise. Emergencies such as malignant hyperthermia, intraoperative cardiac arrest, and anaphylaxis can catch OR leaders and staff off guard. Perioperative teams need proper and adequate preparation…

Read More

Editor's Note Designating underused neurosurgery blocks for straightforward ENT procedures increased surgical volume and reduced wait times at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco, according to a July 3 report from the Children’s Hospital Association’s 2025 Transforming Quality Conference. The initiative began in early 2024, when ENT leaders and surgical…

Read More

Editor's Note A robust scheduling model can significantly improve OR efficiency and stability when surgery and recovery times are unpredictable, according to research published in the journal Mathematics. Using a Genetic Algorithm for Robust Scheduling (GARS), the authors demonstrate a practical and computationally efficient method for minimizing makespan across a…

Read More

Editor's Note Using 3D-printed anatomical models during preoperative consultations significantly improved shared decision-making (SDM) and modestly reduced anxiety in colorectal surgery patients, according to a June 3 study published in JAMA Network Open.  The single-center, cluster randomized clinical trial enrolled 51 adult patients scheduled for colon or rectal resection due…

Read More