Cross-training staff solves competency and engagement puzzle
High labor costs, surgeon dissatisfaction, high staff turnover, and low staff competency are problems that dog many OR leaders at some point in their careers. When managers at the Stanford University Medical Center Main OR in Stanford, California, found themselves facing all of these problems at once, they knew something…
Cultural, generational factors influencing RN retention
Editor's Note Generational and cultural differences may affect an RN’s job satisfaction and intent to stay, and nurse leaders must reassess staff satisfaction beyond mandatory annual staff engagement surveys, this study finds. An online survey of 309 RNs at a tertiary care hospital in south Texas found that: Millennials anticipate…
Hospital safety culture linked to surgical patient outcomes
Editor's Note A hospital’s safety culture may influence certain surgical patient outcomes, finds this study. A Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ), sent to administrators, quality improvement teams, nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons in 49 hospitals participating in the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative, found that OR safety culture had the highest scores…
Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR team—Part 2
Several never events at The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA) in Aurora, Colorado, over a 1-year period prompted leaders there to launch patient safety first (PSF) initiatives. Part 1 of this series discussed how these initiatives were identified and implemented, and the importance of evidence-based communication tools (OR Manager, March…
Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR team—Part 1
Communication breakdowns in the perioperative environment are a factor in 70% of events that adversely affect patients. Sometimes those breakdowns occur because OR staff are reluctant to voice their concerns in an environment that is hierarchical and intimidating. However, when an organization adopts patient safety first (PSF) initiatives, adverse outcomes…
Joint Commission: New blog post examines steps for developing a reporting culture
Editor's Note A new blog post featured in the Joint Commission’s "High Reliability Healthcare" examines four essential steps for developing a reporting culture and why they are important. The steps are: Establish trust: Leaders should help create personal responsibility by establishing clear performance expectations for employees in an environment where…
Joint Commission issues new Sentinel Event Alert on developing a reporting culture to improve safety
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on December 10 issued a new Sentinel Event Alert on developing a reporting culture to improve healthcare safety systems. The alert explores guidance to eliminate fear of negative consequences for those reporting mistakes and unsafe conditions in their organizations. The alert also encourages learning from…
2018 OR Manager Conference hit all the right notes in Nashville
Music City welcomed 1,400 perioperative nurse leaders who attended the annual OR Manager Conference in September. A wealth of educational opportunities and a cultural extravaganza—including regional cuisine and the OR Manager’s Night Out at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame—made the 31st conference a particularly memorable one. Volume and value…
Without a culture of clarity, employees and managers won’t succeed
Editor's Note Whether the problem is turnover, incivility, low patient scores, or managers who don’t know how to give direction, all have the same root cause−lack of a culture of clarity, the September 3 SmartBrief reports. The author gives three examples with lack of clarity at the root and how…
Joint Commission implementing survey improvements on assessing safety culture
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on June 13 announced that starting this month it will be implementing survey process improvements for how it assesses safety culture in hospitals and critical access hospitals. Improvements will be implemented for all other programs by October. Among the process improvement expectations: An organization will…
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