Behaviors that undermine a culture of safety and respect have long been a concern among healthcare workers and professionals. Such conduct can adversely affect teamwork, clinical outcomes, and trust. In recent years, unprofessional conduct has come under increased scrutiny by the Joint Commission, American Medical Association, AORN, and other professional…

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Editor's Note Hospital employment rose 0.15% in May to a seasonally adjusted 5,104,400 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on June 2. This is 7,400 more employees than in April and 95,500 more than a year ago. The nation’s unemployment rate fell by 0.1% in May to 4.3%.…

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Editor's Note New studies of census, earnings, and retirement data show that women’s career paths are more closely mirroring men’s, including an increasing tendency to work full-time into their 60 and 70s, the February 11 New York Times reports. About 30% of women aged 65 to 69 are working, which…

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Part 1 of this series on staffing challenges, published in October OR Manager, explored the challenge of increased demand. In Part 2, we turn to lack of experience, again including examples of how OR leaders are responding.   Recruiting for experience In all, 70% of respondents to the 2016 OR…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on October 4 launched an online resource center to prevent workplace violence in healthcare settings. “Workplace Violence Prevention Resources” includes policies, procedures, guidelines, research, case studies, white papers, toolkits, and other material focused on workplace violence prevention and preparedness. The Joint Commission developed the resource…

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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 Generation Z is beginning to enter the workforce, and recruiting is not the same as for millennials, the August 14 Fortune.com reports. Like the millennials, many Gen Zers want to do work that has a positive impact on the world, but they are more concerned about job security…

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How can leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) ensure they have a competent staff? First, they must hire staff with the right skill sets, and then they should implement meaningful methods for ongoing assessment. Here are some strategies for meeting these goals.   Begin with the hiring process “When you…

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Editor's Note The healthcare sector is on track to produce nearly 440,000 jobs for RNs by 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports. The healthcare sector added 46,000 jobs overall in May, including more than 24,000 ambulatory care positions and more than 5,000 positions in nursing facilities. According to…

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Editor's Note Women who put in long hours of work over many years have an increased risk of chronic, life threatening illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes, this study finds. Women’s work weeks that averaged 60 hours or more for more than 30 years tripled the risk of…

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