Editor's Note Hands-on, simulation-based education can dramatically raise confidence and communication among perioperative teams learning robotic-assisted surgery, AORN Journal October 22 reports. The article profiles how one nurse leader at Duke University Hospital built a comprehensive robotics training program that helped staff achieve near-total confidence in managing robotic systems safely…

Read More

Editor's Note Robotic-assisted cardiac surgery is reshaping the field, enabling safer, less invasive procedures once deemed too complex for minimal-access techniques, the American College of Surgeons October 1 reports. Advances in high-definition visualization, wristed instruments, and surgical control are allowing cardiothoracic teams to perform intricate repairs through incisions often smaller…

Read More

Editor's Note Lock in system-level wins fast. The 2025 OR Manager Conference is right around the corner (October 28–30 in Anaheim, California), and it is loaded with how-to sessions that turn ideas into throughput, revenue, and workforce results you can bring home in Q4. This year’s agenda centers on pragmatic,…

Read More

Editor's Note University of California San Francisco (UCSF) surgeons and researchers presented a wide range of original work at the American College of Surgeons’ 2025 Clinical Congress in Chicago, held October 4–7. According to an October 7 article published by UCSF, the meeting featured topics from perioperative opioid stewardship and…

Read More

Editor's Note A new study shows video-language models (VLMs) can accurately evaluate nursing skills and generate meaningful feedback, potentially transforming how future nurses are trained and assessed, Cornell University October 6 reports. The study describes the first framework to apply VLMs to automated nursing competency evaluation. According to the article,…

Read More

Robotic surgery has moved from cutting-edge to commonplace. The question is no longer whether to use robotics but when to introduce it and how to ensure adoption is efficient, affordable, and seamless for surgical teams. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are increasingly adding robotics to their service lines, driven by the…

Read More

Editor's Note Hospitals are bracing for service reductions as anesthesia staffing shortages collide with reimbursement cuts, Modern Healthcare October 14 reports. Executives and staffing experts see mounting financial strain that could limit patient access and stall growth plans, with rural facilities most exposed. As detailed in the article, systems continue…

Read More

As hospitals and surgical services face an acute nursing shortage, the sustainability of the perioperative workforce continues to be a pressing concern. Several projections show the nursing workforce in the US—as well as globally—remains under strain while surgical demand shows no sign of slowing down. The American Association of Colleges…

Read More

Perioperative leaders face a workforce transition unlike any in recent memory. By 2030, all baby boomers will have reached retirement age, and many veteran perioperative nurses are already exiting, taking with them decades of institutional knowledge. At the same time, the expectations of today’s workforce have shifted, placing greater value…

Read More

The centralization of medical device processing to one facility is becoming more prevalent. Centralizing sterile processing activities reduces expenses while concentrating expertise. However, this also introduces new concerns. When sterile processing is located within the same building where instrumentation is used, transport occurs over smooth floors in a controlled environment…

Read More