Roughly 41,000 surgical procedures happen in the US every day. Each one depends on surgical technologists (STs), the professionals who prepare the OR, hand off instruments, and ensure a sterile environment to prevent infections that affect up to 3% of all patients. The profession’s importance is reflected in AORN’s recommended…

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Editor's Note The global nursing workforce has expanded to 29.8 million, up from 27.9 million in 2018, but stark disparities in nurse distribution threaten progress toward universal health coverage and global health security, according to a May 12 World Health Organization (WHO) news release announcing the State of the World’s…

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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…

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Editor's Note The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) launched a new pain management toolkit that prioritizes multimodal strategies to improve outcomes and reduce opioid use in ambulatory surgery. Designed for the unique challenges of outpatient care, the resource provides practical, evidence-based guidance to optimize safety, comfort, and recovery.…

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Editor's Note Microsoft’s MAI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO)artificial intelligence (AI) system outperformed physicians on diagnostic accuracy, achieving an 80% score compared to only 20% for a panel of human doctors. Wired reported the news June 30, quoting an official calling the system “a genuine step toward medical superintelligence” and noting that…

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Editor's Note The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)’s AACN’s 2024-2025 Enrollment and Graduations survey shows undergraduate and graduate nursing programs saw enrollment gains in 2024, with a 4.9% increase in Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program enrollment, along with a 1.6% gain in RN-to-BSN programs following five…

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Editor's Note Epic has introduced a free training program to help nurses and medical assistants reduce time spent using electronic health records (EHRs), addressing a key factor contributing to widespread burnout. According to a recent article in Fierce Healthcare, the Nursing SmartUser classes launched during National Nurses Week and aim…

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Nursing teams can find strength in diversity, but educating a team with a range of backgrounds and experience levels can be challenging. Some respond well to traditional lectures and presentations, while others may gravitate toward more collaborative or hands-on approaches. Making education a game has emerged as one of the…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission and the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) are partnering to set national standards for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use in healthcare, according to a June 11 announcement from the organizations. This effort will deliver AI implementation guidance, tools, and a certification program to over 80%…

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Editor's Note A new digital resource is helping hospital leaders strengthen infection prevention efforts by focusing not just on bedside protocols, but on management strategies proven to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The “SMART Toolkit,” developed by researchers at The Ohio State University and launched in July 2022, offers a free,…

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