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…

Read More

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Surgeon-turned-coach on reclaiming joy, purpose in healthcare: Countdown to the 2025 OR Manager Conference.   Neha Amin, DO, FACS, NBC-HWC, will be attending this year’s OR Manager Conference for the first time. OR Manager talked to her about her…

Read More

Burnout continues to threaten the perioperative workforce, pushing many leaders out of clinical practice altogether. Neha Amin, DO, FACS, NBC-HWC, a double-board certified surgeon specializing in burns, knows the toll burnout can take on healthcare professionals, having faced it personally. After navigating her own burnout experience, she founded a coaching…

Read More

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, How nurse leaders can drive healthcare innovation: Countdown to the 2025 OR Manager Conference.   Dan Weberg, PhD, MHI, RN, FAAN, will be attending this year’s OR Manager Conference for the first time. OR Manager talked to him about…

Read More

Much like the Blockbuster video store chain had a choice to innovate before the rise of streaming, Dan Weberg, PhD, MHI, RN, FAAN, thinks healthcare is at a similar crossroads. As an ER nurse turned educator, executive, and innovation expert, Dr Weberg sees the 4 million nurses nationwide as being…

Read More

Takeaways • Most respondents reported an increase in the percentage of open positions for RNs and STs compared to 12 months ago. • Most respondents struggle to hire experienced RNs, yet time-to-fill positions has dropped, suggesting rapid but possibly unsustainable staffing shifts. • Leadership is getting younger (average age 38),…

Read More

About the survey Data for the Career/Salary Survey were collected from April 1 to June 27, 2025. The list comprised ASC administrators who were either OR Manager subscribers or part of an external list. The survey closed with 90 responses. The margin of error is ±5 percentage points at the…

Read More

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…

Read More

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…

Read More

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are taking on more high-acuity, same-day procedures than ever before. This growth is driven by evolving clinical protocols, cost-conscious reimbursement strategies, and expanded capabilities in outpatient care. Specialties like orthopedics, spine, ophthalmology, and cardiovascular care are moving more complex cases—and the implants that come with them—out…

Read More