It is no long best practice to deliver education via a traditional lecture with PowerPoint slides or an unimaginative online learning module. “These techniques are boring and not effective,” says Beverly Kirchner, MSN, BSN, RN, CNOR(E), CASC, chief compliance officer for SurgeryDirect, LLC. “Staff just listen or read the information,…
When it comes to treating chronic pain—or pain associated with surgery—clinicians are always looking for alternatives to opioids. “There are zero advantages to chronic opioid use,” says Earl Kilbride, MD, MHA, an orthopedic surgeon at the Austin Orthopedic Institute. While the US makes up about 4.4% of the global population,…
Editor's Note Pairing short, human-led preoperative videos with structured postoperative texting streamlines workflows without sacrificing clinical touch at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), said Austin Cheng, CEO of Gramercy Surgery Center in New York City, and Tracy Hoeft-Hoffman, MSN, MBA, RN, CASC, administrator of Heartland Surgery Center in Nebraska, at the…
Editor's Note Younger perioperative nurses with less experience are more likely to consider leaving compared to older perioperative nurses, according to a systematic review on factors related to turnover intention among OR nurses published in the November 2025 issue of AORN Journal. The investigators reviewed 11 studies on turnover intention…
Editor's Note What a week it was! The 2025 OR Manager Conference just wrapped up at the Anaheim Convention Center, and perioperative leaders are already talking about what is next. Mark your calendars—the 2026 OR Manager Conference is heading to Savannah, Georgia, at the Savannah Convention Center on October 5–7,…
Editor's Note Wrapping up the 2025 OR Manager Conference with high energy, humor, and some fundamental truths about human interactions inside and outside the workplace, Monica Wofford, CSP, leadership consultant, Contagious Companies, shared tried and true strategies that work well to curb difficult behaviors and make difficult people have less…
Editor's Note MD Anderson is hardwiring career mobility so staff can see, test, and pursue growth without leaving the division. According to this session’s panel—including Abigail Caudle, MD, MHCM, FACS, vice president of procedural and therapeutic medical operations; Robert Ghafar, MBA, RTT, vice president of procedural and therapeutic operations; and…
Editor's Note Hold everyone to the same standard, model the behavior you expect, and build trust through transparency—that is how OR leaders retain nurses and improve performance, according to this session’s panel that included Taneka Curtis, MHA, BSN, RN, CNOR, nurse manager-cardiac, transplant and vascular service lines, Hospital of the…
Editor's Note Transparent communication, humility, and swift action are essential for effective service recovery in perioperative services, said Leiran Cornish, MBA-HM, BSN, RN, director of nursing, Dartmouth Health Outpatient Surgery Center, and Patrel Nobles, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CNOR, system senior director, surgical services, Valley Health. Their session explored how nurse…
Editor's Note Rebuilding trust and redefining teamwork between the OR and sterile processing department (SPD) turned a near-failure into a high-functioning system at UCLA Health, according to Ronald Perez, JD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, executive director of perioperative services, and Jasmine Briones, MSN, RN, CNOR, director of perioperative services. What…