Tag: Healthcare workforce

Report warns sterile processing staffing crisis threatens surgical safety

Editor's Note Sterile processing departments (SPDs) face chronic staffing shortages and underinvestment that put surgical patients at risk, according to a Surgical Directions September 18 report. It emphasizes that sterile processing technicians, who decontaminate, inspect, and sterilize every surgical instrument, remain under-recognized despite their central role in surgical safety. Per…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 24, 2025
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Survey: Depression, loneliness surge among young and low-income adults

Editor's Note Depression rates in the US remain at historic highs, affecting more than 47 million adults, with young people and lower-income households experiencing the sharpest increases, a Gallup survey published on September 9 reports. The latest survey shows 18.3% of adults currently report having or being treated for depression,…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
September 18, 2025
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Strategies for perioperative leaders to build a diverse workforce

In perioperative care, high-performing teams are critical to patient safety and workflow efficiency. Diversity in hiring is not only a matter of compliance—it directly influences care quality, communication, and innovation. A diverse healthcare workforce reflects the varied backgrounds of patients, which builds trust and cultural competency. Research shows that when…

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By: Jane Kuhn
September 1, 2025
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AST warns against fast-track training programs

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, "Health systems embrace partnerships, new training pathways to address surgical technologist shortage."   The Association of Surgical Technologists (AST), a 55,000-member organization, acknowledges the growing shortage of surgical technologists (STs) but is raising alarms over the rise of…

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By: Anne Wainscott-Sargent
August 25, 2025
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Health systems embrace partnerships, new training pathways to address surgical technologist shortage

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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By: Anne Wainscott-Sargent
August 25, 2025
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Nursing demand drops in Q2 as healthcare hiring shifts toward physicians, pharmacy

Editor's Note Healthcare hiring slowed in the second quarter of 2025, with nursing and technician roles experiencing steep declines even as physician and pharmacy jobs continued to grow. According to HealthLeaders August 19, the shift signals a potential rebalancing in workforce priorities as hospitals and health systems adapt to financial…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
August 25, 2025
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Time for a surgical skills check? Inside the ACS stance on aging physicians

Takeaways • US surgeons have no mandated retirement age. According to the Aging Surgeon Program, “a patient death or serious negative event are currently the only things that prompt action to prevent a surgeon from practicing.” • Research on aging-related decline is clear, but nuanced, showing rates and scope vary…

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By: Brita Belli
May 7, 2025
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State AGs sue HHS over sweeping cuts

Editor's Note State attorneys general from 20 states filed suit to block major restructuring and layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging the actions bypass Congress, violate federal law, and endanger public health. As detailed in a May 5 report from Fierce Healthcare, the lawsuit seeks…

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By: Matt Danford
May 6, 2025
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Nursing workforce faces high turnover despite signs of recovery

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…

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By: Matt Danford
April 21, 2025
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Session: All Hands-on-Deck—How to Justify Your Staffing Needs and FTEs

Editor's Note In this comprehensive session on nurse workforce management, The Valley Hospital speakers Jacqueline Gardocki, MBA, MSN, BSN, CNOR, CASC, nurse manager Luckow Pavilion same day services & pain management, and DeAnna Kearney, BSN, RN, CAPA, manager of endoscopy, highlighted the critical role of budgeting, staff tracking, cross-training, and…

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By: Tarsilla Moura
February 11, 2025
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