Takeaways • Children are not small adults. Greater attention should be paid to their fears and anxiety, and equipment and medication should be tailored to meet their needs. • All staff should have Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. • ASCs can use toys and games as distractions to ease…

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Takeaways • OR nurse leaders are becoming a force in healthcare legislation. • Legislators value nursing expertise and want to collaborate with nurses on healthcare legislation. • It is easier than expected to get involved with legislation to improve patient safety, support staff, and optimize the workplace. Tracy Hoeft-Hoffman, MSN,…

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For healthcare, and for hospitals and health systems especially, 2022 was one of the years with the worst financial performance seen in decades. Monthly reports throughout last year depicted rising costs, mostly exacerbated by the crippling staff shortages and a reliance on more expensive contract staff, and diminished profit margins.…

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Nationwide staffing shortages are causing significant strain on healthcare systems. Hospital leaders have to be creative with how to mitigate this challenge while still prioritizing patient care. Healthcare workers are essential, but labor costs are often the largest expenses for hospitals. Even before the pandemic, labor costs, including recruitment, retention,…

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When making decisions about technology and equipment, there is a tendency to focus on immediate productivity increases—or perhaps, practical aspects such as carrying out an implementation or training staff. But here is another major issue: how to maintain OR equipment once the warranty runs out. This is more complex than…

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Over my 40-year career—after starting at the bedside in surgical intensive care, moving to emergency medicine, and then to perioperative services—I have been fortunate to progress into executive leadership positions in academic medical center health systems and community hospitals, consult with a top global advisory firm, and now work in…

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The use of electrosurgical instrumentation is common in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). However, while these instruments are common, processing them is complex and time-consuming. Insulated electrosurgical instrumentation can cause patient harm, including an electrical burn, if there is a breach in the insulation. These instruments are designed to have an…

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) develops conditions of participation (CoPs) and Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) that healthcare organizations must meet in order to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Payers, including government payers, require facility certification or accreditation for reimbursement. “Reimbursement is the critical piece,” says Becky…

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