Staff input enriches labor benchmarking data
Labor is the most important resource in an OR and must be used effectively to maintain the financial health of an organization and the well-being of patients. “OR leaders need data tools to manage their labor dollars. How do you know if you are doing it well?” asks Sharon Ulep,…
Missouri hospitals report all-time-high employee turnover
Editor's Note Missouri hospitals reported an all-time-high employee turnover rate of 19.5% this year in a report released by the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA). Among the positions with the highest turnover rates: sterile processing technicians, 20.4% surgical technicians, 16.0% staff nurses, 15.2% physician assistants, 15.2%. Hospitals and other stakeholders are…
How will artificial intelligence impact surgical patient care? Part 2
As part of a special series on artificial intelligence (AI), OR Manager is taking a deep dive into the many facets of this new technology and its impact on patient care. Part 1 of this introduction to the series (OR Manager, May 2019, 1, 7-11) defined several different types of…
OR leaders see benefits of briefer NPO period
Though long fasting before a surgical procedure is tied to increased patient risks, the outdated guideline of NPO after midnight continues to be practiced by many healthcare organizations. In 1999, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) revised their fasting guidelines to clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery and…
Good questions lay foundation for powerful leadership pipeline
Success for any new leader hinges on the ability to be both “student” and “teacher” because the role requires learning and mentoring. Striking a balance between these roles can be especially daunting for new perioperative services leaders, which is why Bruce Tulgan was invited to speak at the 2019 OR…
Artificial intelligence makes surgical 'black box' smarter
Perioperative services departments have been slow to adopt the black boxes used in the aviation industry, partly because it can take a large team of experts hours to analyze data collected by the box. However, the team behind a surgical black box is using artificial intelligence (AI) to significantly cut…
Improving hand hygiene compliance among anesthesia providers
Editor's Note Education and monitoring of hand hygiene among anesthesia providers in the OR improved hand hygiene compliance in this study from the Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina. Anesthesia providers were educated on the World Health Organization’s five indications for hand hygiene, and their access to hand…
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…
Study: Findings describe nurse manager role preparation, competency
Editor's Note Nurse executives need to evaluate the strength of their nursing leadership talent pool and develop policies and strategies that promote nurse manager competence, this study finds. A survey of 647 nurse managers, who manage 964 patient care units in 54 hospitals found the following: They rated themselves as…
ORBMC gets business leaders off to a strong start in 2019
San Diego in January is a place where many people would rather be, and the 475 healthcare business and industry leaders who gathered there for the 2019 OR Business Management Conference (ORBMC) enjoyed the mild climate along with high-quality presentations and fun networking events. Conference attendance rises each year, yet…
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- Hospital support staff cuts raise risk of infection, delays in care
- Study: Blocking stress-linked prolactin surge relieves postoperative pain in women
- Report ranks states by nursing opportunity
- Report: Hospitals double down on ASCs as outpatient shift accelerates
- Centralized waitlists slash joint replacement wait times in Canada, study shows
- Airborne bacteria pose hidden threat in cardiac ORs, study warns
- Simulation-based training boosts scrub nurses’ confidence in OR non-technical skills
- New AHRQ toolkit empowers OR teams to cut MRSA, SSI risk
- Study: Long working hours alter brain regions tied to emotion, cognition
- Survey: Burnout, rigid schedules push nurses to leave