Healthcare providers have seen a steady stream of inpatient-only procedures migrate to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) over the past few years. Medicare is reimbursing an increasing number of procedures performed in the outpatient setting, many of them cardiovascular in nature. This issue of ASC Manager explores the development of a…

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Staffing headaches for OR managers continue, according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with more than a third of respondents reporting that the percentage of open positions compared with 12 months ago has increased for both RNs and surgical technologists (STs). The clock has to be turned back…

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Extensive research by Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues at Ofstead & Associates (St Paul, Minnesota) has raised concerns about insufficient reprocessing of gastrointestinal endoscopes and ureteroscopes—even when recommended practices are followed—and their new study makes a compelling case for more stringent reprocessing of bronchoscopes as well. In their…

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Millennials will soon comprise 50% of the nursing workforce. They are sometimes criticized for lacking commitment because they change jobs more often than their older counterparts. Yet research finds patients are safer when nurses are satisfied with their work environments, so it would seem that newer nurses and nurse managers…

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The ability to build relationships and trust is one of the key attributes of an outstanding leader. Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, winner of the 2019 OR Manager of the Year award, has made this the cornerstone of her career, inspiring people to follow in her footsteps. As executive…

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Staffing remains an ongoing challenge for OR managers, according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with open positions and turnover creating headaches. Attracting and retaining top talent is a crucial part of any OR leader’s job. This three-part series explores successful recruitment strategies: marketing (Part 1), interviewing and…

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Poor communication has been the root cause of many sentinel events over the years, and there has been growing recognition of how the work environment and culture influence patient outcomes. In a 2018 Sentinel Event Alert, the Joint Commission stressed the need to develop a “reporting culture”—to make it safe…

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Staffing remains a significant challenge for many leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents reported more open RN positions, significantly higher than the 26% in 2018; over the past 5 years, only 2016 had a higher…

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Healthcare workers are at risk for bloodborne pathogen exposures in areas ranging from the clinic to the OR—both inpatient and outpatient settings. Such exposures not only cause anxiety, they cost an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 per exposure for things such as baseline and follow-up laboratory testing, treatment of exposed personnel,…

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