Editorial
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…
Active listening lowers stress, builds confidence
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.…
Zones establish structure and routine for OR setup
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…
Emotional toll of ‘never events’ on staff
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…
12-hour shifts linked to job dissatisfaction, burnout
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,…
Find your community within the OR Manager Conference closing session
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…
Night shifts, overtime linked to injuries in new RNs
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…
Massachusetts approves state's first nurse staffing mandate
Editor's Note The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission has voted unanimously to approve the state’s first nurse staffing mandate. It calls for no more than two patients to be assigned to one nurse in all ICUs, including burn units and NICUs. In some cases just one patient is assigned to one…
The Impact of Operating Room Distractions on Stress, Workload, and Teamwork
Our Take Distractions in the OR are associated with higher mental workload and stress and poorer teamwork among OR personnel, a study finds. The most prevalent distractions were those from external staff, followed by case-irrelevant conversations. Case-irrelevant conversations initiated by surgeons were associated with lower teamwork in surgeons and anesthesiologists. Equipment-related…
Rich Bluni will kick off OR Manager Conference with new spin on ‘engagement’
Many healthcare professionals are all too familiar with the phenomenon of becoming burned out. In the midst of the intense work environment and long hours, they often struggle to remember why they do what they do, and they become disconnected. When Rich Bluni, RN, LHRM, kicks off this year’s OR…
Free Daily News
- Tenet, HCA post strong Q1 results, but caution looms over policy uncertainty, outpatient trends
- Telemedicine transforms postoperative care through safer, faster, patient-centered recovery
- ASCA conference coverage keeps ASC leaders informed
- Study: Prolonged COVID symptoms more likely for healthcare workers
- Study: Patients of female surgeons experience fewer complications, lower long-term readmission
- OR traffic, workflow disruptions drive infection risk
- Proactive strategies help healthcare supply chains withstand tariff pressures
- Study: EEG-guided anesthesia halves anesthetic use, accelerates recovery in pediatric surgery
- Study: Longer shifts, understaffing increase nurse sickness absence
- Power loss risks prompt FDA Class 1 recall designation for heart pump accessories