Editor's Note A new medical training institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, is positioning itself as a major national destination for robotic and minimally invasive surgery education, Axios Charlotte October 29 reports. The North American headquarters of IRCAD (Institut de Recherche contre les Cancers de l’Appareil Digestif, or Research Institute Against…

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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…

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Effective communication is the foundation of patient safety in the modern surgical environment. Most surgical procedures depend on seamless collaboration among surgeons, nurses, surgical technologists, and anesthesiologists, and when communication breaks down, patient risk rises sharply. In 2024, the American College of Surgeons reported standardized surgical handoffs improved adherence to…

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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…

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Volunteering is, at its core, about giving back. Yet many volunteer opportunities also create pathways to elevate one’s career and professional identity. At the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc (ABPANC), nurse volunteers grow both personally and professionally, gaining new knowledge, forming connections, and finding renewed purpose and emotional…

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Editor’s Note New nurse leaders thrive when organizations invest in practical training and relationships, according to Aubrey Pepper, MSN, RN, DHA, CNOR, NE-BC, senior director of surgical services at St Jude Children's Research Hospital. In this session, Pepper said the most predictive skill for a smooth clinician-to-leader transition is “relationship…

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Editor's Note Even the most experienced nurses sometimes wonder, “Am I good enough?” That is how Laurie Burns MSN, RN, CNOR, RNFA, CIRT, clinical nurse educator, operating room; Aliaunda Macon, BSN, RN, staff nurse; and Simone Nicholson, DNP, MSN, RN, CNOR, nurse manager main operating room at Main Line Health…

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Editor’s Note Healthcare cannot afford to “rewind,” said Dan Weberg, PhD, MHI, RN, FAAN, executive director of nursing workforce development and innovation at Kaiser Permanente, during his opening keynote on leading and embracing innovation in healthcare. According to Dr Weberg, healthcare’s “blockbuster moment” has arrived, and leaders must choose to…

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Takeaways • Determining the return on investment (ROI) for a robot-assisted surgery (RAS) program should include anticipated surgeon volume and past cases where RAS could have been used. • Some organizations dedicate staff to RAS cases, while others orient all to these procedures. • Offering ROI after hours require careful…

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Current literature shows artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept in surgical care. Innovative medtech has entered clinical practice with measurable impact, although the field remains in early stages of implementation—promising in scope, but still facing challenges with data quality, reproducibility, and integration. For instance, a 2024 systematic…

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