Joint Commission requesting VTE discharge instructions
Editor's Note The Joint Commission is asking hospitals to share their discharge instructions and educational materials for patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) who are on anticoagulants. The Joint Commission’s Department of Health Services Research is soliciting this information as part of a research project. These materials may be used to develop…
Survey: OR staff low in volume, experience, engagement--Part 1
OR managers might yearn for a past when a well-staffed team of experienced RNs and surgical technologists were committed heart and soul to their jobs, but it’s clear that idyllic time is gone, if indeed, it ever really existed. Most managers now face a triple threat in staffing trends, any…
Benefits of professionalism training for surgical residents
Editor's Note Professionalism education improved surgical resident understanding, awareness, and practice of professionalism in a significant manner in this study. A year-long professionalism curriculum was developed at New York University School of Medicine, New York City, which focused on challenges such as: admitting mistakes effective communication with colleagues at all…
Implementing a coaching program for practicing surgeons
Editor's Note Several technical and nontechnical skill sets of practicing surgeons were found to be in need of improvement, in this study, which provided support for implementing coaching programs for surgeons on an ongoing basis. A total of 32 surgeons (18 general, 14 gynecologists) from 6 hospitals were assessed; 9…
Nontechnical skills also matter in surgical patient safety
Editor's Note Technical and nontechnical skills are both important to successfully and safely perform surgical procedures, according to recommendations presented August 5 at the National Surgical Patient Safety Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. Among the recommendations were that the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and support staff ensure consistent use of surgical safety…
Targeted communication training raises hospital safety culture scores
Implementation of crew resource management training at a large academic medical center led to statistically significant improvements in 10 out of 12 dimensions of safety culture, according to surveys conducted before and after training took place. Crew resource management (CRM) is a systematic approach adapted from the airline industry to…
High competency levels promote ASC staff and patient satisfaction
Leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) know a competent staff is essential for optimal patient outcomes and financial well-being, but competing pressures sometimes relegate competency assessment to completing a checklist to meet regulatory requirements. Unfortunately, this approach can result in missed opportunities. “Competency assessment helps promote safe care and quality…
Survey gives snapshot of today’s nursing workforce
Editor's Note RNs today are younger, more diverse, and more highly educated, according to the 2015 National Nursing Workforce Survey. Results show: The average age of RNs is 48.8 years, showing that the aging of the RN population is slowing and that retirements portend no impending shortage. Men made up…
Johns Hopkins transitions to all graduate school of nursing
Editor's Note After 30 years, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing baccalaureate program is ending with its July 22 graduation ceremony. Last fall, Johns Hopkins transitioned to an all-graduate school when it welcomed its first class of the Master of Science in Nursing: Entry into Nursing Practice program. The degree…
OR competency programs boost staff loyalty and productivity
Much has been written about projected nursing shortages and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining nurses. With few options for structured education specifically geared toward the OR, and pending retirements of many perioperative services leaders, most healthcare facilities are relying on staff—which may or may not include a nurse educator—to…
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