Editor's Note Healthcare’s workforce crisis stems from systemic trauma—not individual burnout. That’s the central argument of a commentary published April 30 in MedPage Today, in which Taylor Nichols, MD, a board-certified physician in emergency medicine and addiction medicine, calls for a sweeping shift in how healthcare-associated stress is understood and…

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Every day, I come across postings in the media suggesting that nurses are struggling with burnout. These accusations are tone deaf and misleading. In addition to my private coaching practice, I am the professional internal coach for a trauma center in the Greater New York area and several professional nursing…

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Takeaways • US surgeons have no mandated retirement age. According to the Aging Surgeon Program, “a patient death or serious negative event are currently the only things that prompt action to prevent a surgeon from practicing.” • Research on aging-related decline is clear, but nuanced, showing rates and scope vary…

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Editor's Note Virtual models and technology-driven roles are gaining ground, but alignment across nursing leadership tiers remains a critical challenge. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Center for Health Innovation’s summary of the March 2025 “Nursing Leadership Insight Study” done by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, virtual care—including…

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Editor's Note A recent article in HealthLeaders profiles an innovative approach to alleviating nurse burnout—one that the outlet calls “a four-legged answer to nurse wellbeing.” Launched in 2020 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the Buckeye Paws program brings certified therapy dogs directly to nursing units, offering nonjudgmental,…

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Editor's Note Gender bias in surgery goes far beyond barriers for individuals, according to a study published April 8 in The American Journal of Surgery. Ethnographic data reveals women surgeons face entrenched structural inequities that influence their daily work lives, limit their professional standing, and shape perceptions of surgical competence,…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer approve federal matching funds for designated state health programs (DSHPs) and designated state investment programs (DSIPs) that are not directly related to Medicaid services. According to the April 10 announcement, the decision aims to preserve the core…

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Editor's Note Preoperative mental health assessment significantly increases the odds of a postoperative “textbook outcome” for older patients, according to research published on March 15 in the journal Surgery. The median age for the patient population analyzed at the time of surgery was 74 years. Focusing on more than 32,500…

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Editor's Note Perioperative nurses who feel a stronger sense of professional mission are less likely to experience burnout and less likely to want to leave their jobs, according to a large cross-sectional study published on March 21 by BMC Psychology. The study identifies professional mission as a key psychological resource…

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Editor's Note With several major gatherings planned for this spring—including those from AORN, AONL, ASCA, and ASPAN—a bustling events season offers perioperative leaders valuable opportunities for reflection on our careers and futures. Speaking of futures, the 2024 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey revealed an intriguing shift: only 9% of perioperative nurses…

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