Perioperative leaders face a workforce transition unlike any in recent memory. By 2030, all baby boomers will have reached retirement age, and many veteran perioperative nurses are already exiting, taking with them decades of institutional knowledge. At the same time, the expectations of today’s workforce have shifted, placing greater value…

Read More

Editor's Note Training with surgical preference cards significantly lowers anxiety and strengthens clinical competence among OR nursing students, according to a randomized controlled trial published in BMC Medical Education on October 2. The study enrolled 60 OR nursing students in Iran between 2023 and 2024. Students were randomly assigned to…

Read More

Editor's Note Surgical quality leaders are pushing boundaries with new strategies that blend technology, frontline engagement, and national-local collaboration. That was the message from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality and Safety Conference (QSC), held July 17–20, 2025, in San Diego, according to a September 10 ACS report. The…

Read More

Editor's Note Most newly licensed nurses require about 12 months before they can practice autonomously, a HealthLeaders September 8 analysis reports. The article highlights findings from a recent National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) study of 200 nurses, 74% of whom reported that a full year was necessary…

Read More

Editor's Note Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) with the Artemis Neuro Evacuation Device reduced hematoma volume efficiently and lowered serious adverse events but did not improve long-term disability or mortality compared with medical management in spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), JAMA Neurology September 2 reports. The “MIND randomized clinical trial” enrolled…

Read More

Editor's Note Loosening fasting policies before surgery does not increase the risk of post-surgical aspiration, also known as aspiration pneumonia, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Surgery in August 2025. The researchers analyzed 17 studies published between 2016 and 2023, including randomized clinical trials and…

Read More

Editor's Note Healthcare providers, payers, and analytics teams face sweeping ICD-10 changes this fall, with the 2026 code updates taking effect October 1, 2025, Wolters Kluwer July 14 reports. The release includes 614 new codes, 12 invalidations, 642 billability changes, 88 terminology revisions, and the creation of an entirely new…

Read More

Editor's Note The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) have launched a joint initiative to expand equitable access to virtual care and telesurgery, according to a WHO departmental update published August 8. The partnership, formalized in July at the SRS Annual Meeting in Strasbourg, France,…

Read More

Although hospital performance from January to April 2025 outpaced the first 4 months of 2024, according to Kaufman Hall’s June 2025 “National Hospital Flash Report,” many surgical departments remain under intense financial pressure. Labor and supply costs continue to rise, while surgical services are especially vulnerable to inefficiencies like labor…

Read More

Editor's Note Providing tailored feedback to surgical prescribers significantly increased adherence to opioid prescribing guidelines without affecting patients’ ability to manage postoperative pain, according to research published June 11 in JAMA Surgery.  The study tested whether monthly reports that included peer prescribing comparisons and patient-reported outcomes could influence opioid prescribing…

Read More