Editor's Note Working 46 hours per week or more increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), this study finds. Beginning at 46 hours, increasing work hours were progressively associated with increased risk of CVD (ie, angina, coronary disease, heart failure, heart attack, high blood pressure, or stroke). Compared to…

Read More

Editor's Note A Studer Group survey finds that nearly 90% of physicians have experienced burnout, and almost two-thirds say they are thinking about leaving the profession, the February 2 EHR Intelligence reports. Among the major causes of burnout cited were overcompensating for low staffing levels and the regulatory burdens of…

Read More

Hundreds of nurse leaders filled the room for a presentation on dealing with difficult people during the annual OR Manager Conference in October 2015—a testament to the prevalence of bullies and disruptive behavior in the OR environment. “In early 2011, a Google search was run using the terms ‘nurse bullying’…

Read More

Workplace violence reached a whole new level with the San Bernardino mass shooting earlier this month that left 14 dead just a week after three people died in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs. These incidents occurred for different reasons, but both cut short people’s lives…

Read More

The use of storytelling and listening to staff stories can be a valuable tool to help OR managers understand and mitigate workplace challenges and incivility. These are the findings of a doctoral study by Patricia Littlejohn, MBA, RN, CNOR, director, neurosciences and program development, Regional Medical Center, San Jose, California.…

Read More

Learning to circulate can be overwhelming and intimidating for new nurses. They may learn two or three different ways to set up a room, on two or three different days, from two or three different preceptors. Having a consistent, systematic way to set up an OR can help relieve the…

Read More

Editor's Note An aspect of “never events”that is rarely discussed is the emotional toll they take on staff, according to this editorial. In each case, staff experience an enormous amount of emotional trauma, and a significant amount of accusation and stigmatization occurs. It is not enough to prevent and manage…

Read More

Editor's Note Nurses working shifts of 12 hours or longer were more likely to report job dissatisfaction, dissatisfaction with schedule flexibility, intention to leave their current jobs, and burnout in this study. Some of the adverse outcomes, such as high burnout, may pose safety risks for patients and the nurses,…

Read More

The annual OR Manager Conference gives OR directors and managers an opportunity to gain wisdom and inspiration while enjoying a change of scene. Regardless of whether they have attended the conference for many years or they are newcomers, it's always an occasion when they can connect with peers who truly…

Read More

Editor's Note New RNs working night shifts and overtime are at increased risk for injury, this study finds. Those working weekly overtime were associated with a 32% increase in the risk of needle sticks. New nurses working night shifts correlated with a 16% increase in the risk of sprain and…

Read More