Editor's Note Only half of departments of surgery in the US have established mentorship programs, and most are informal, unstructured, and do not involve all of the key stakeholders, this study finds. Of 155 chairs of departments of surgery surveyed 76 responded, for a 49% response rate. A total of…

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More than 1,000 perioperative nurse leaders from across the US and from other countries came up winners when they attended the 29th annual OR Manager Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September. Their bets on in-depth educational programs—ranging from contracting for success to enhanced recovery after surgery—paid off with a…

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Trends such as bundled payment models, adding service lines, and increased competition among providers are just some of the challenges facing today’s OR business leaders. Year over year growth of the annual OR Business Management Conference attests to the need for expert advice on the increasingly complex world of budgets,…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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