In the OR, precision and focus can mean the difference between life and death. However, surgical patient outcomes hinge on more than the competence of those working in these inherently intense environments. Every procedure also depends on the laborious, behind-the-scenes efforts of the people responsible for ensuring every surgical instrument…

Read More

Becoming a perioperative nurse generally does not require certification. However, expectations can change quickly for those hoping to climb the career ladder. For some, expectations are also changing for how knowledge and skills should be assessed. Rather than taking an exam, this subset of specialty nurses earn certification by submitting…

Read More

Editor's Note Nearly 140,000 nurses have left the workforce since 2022, and 40% of the remaining workforce plans to exit by 2029, according to the 2024 National Nursing Workforce Study from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). According to an April 17 announcement from NCSBN, the survey…

Read More

Imagine completely eliminating surgical site infections (SSIs) without significantly disrupting perioperative workflows. At Magic Valley Regional Medical Center (MVMC), a mid-sized community hospital in Twin Falls, Idaho, a nurse-led pilot project accomplished just that for breast and colorectal surgeries. As for other procedures, overall infection rates are down by nearly…

Read More

Editor's Note The OR Manager Conference announces Dan Weberg, PhD, MHI, RN, FAAN, executive director of nursing workforce development and innovation at Kaiser Permanente, as the opening keynote speaker. Dr. Weberg—ER nurse turned executive, innovation expert, and nationally recognized thought leader—will deliver “Healthcare’s ‘Blockbuster Moment’: Innovation, disruption, and the future…

Read More

Leadership and business skills are deeply intertwined—to some, that makes nurse-led ventures a sort of natural fit. The long-standing trend has been nurses becoming entrepreneurs after retirement, but that is changing. Today, more nurses are exploring entrepreneurship while maintaining their clinical roles, a shift that is reshaping traditional career pathways.…

Read More

Editor's Note A recent study shows potentially significant promise for preoperative virtual reality (VR) simulation to improve surgical patient outcomes. Published March 1 in the American Journal of Critical Care, the research details how VR reduced ICU sedation and ventilator time for patients undergoing elective cardiothoracic surgery. Although the program…

Read More

Editor's Note Although cadaver-based education is far from perfect, medical schools should reconsider eliminating these programs for surgeons and other professionals, first-year medical student Nadir Al Saidi argues in a March 31 commentary in Stat. “The weight of an actual body beneath your inexperienced hands is as real a preparation…

Read More

Editor's Note From operational efficiency and budgetary concerns to staffing issues and vendor relationships, the day-to-day concerns of perioperative professionals are fully reflected in the agenda for the 2025 OR Manager Conference, scheduled for October 28-30 in Anaheim, California. The line-up of in-depth, targeted educational sessions is divided into seven…

Read More

Takeaways • The prevalence of needlesticks and other sharp object injuries to OR team members is 42.8%, an increase of 16% over the past decade. • New research and perspectives are shaping the discourse around sharps safety, such as new and expanded evidence-based practices presented in AORN’s 2025 update to…

Read More