Takeaways Successful collaboration requires prioritizing teamwork and aligning new projects and ideas with the overarching goals of the organization. Strategies for making the case for a new project or initiative include establishing subject matter expertise, tailoring the message, and having a win-win mindset. The most influential leaders understand others’ perspectives and communication styles and are willing to flex their own. An organization is sometimes described as an organism that must adapt to changes in the environment to survive and thrive.…

For me, the answer is easy. For 25 years I have consistently said, “I’ve never nursed an OR a day in my life; it’s always been the patients.” As perioperative nurses, what we do is about more than where we work. Why is it that 25 years after the Association of Operating Room Nurses changed its name to the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), thousands of nurses still refer to themselves as OR nurses or surgery nurses? Why is…

Takeaways Meeting people where they are is a basic principle of staff development. Coaching and mentoring are fundamental to employee development, but new managers should understand the difference. Resources for staff development include education, certification, clinical ladders, committee work, and professional networking. Transitioning to leadership involves many competing pressures, but staff development should be at the top (or at least near the top) of any new perioperative manager’s priority list. The new leader’s success—and the success of the department—may depend…

Is working with a healthcare vendor a necessary evil? For leaders in the perioperative space, where vendors abound, it may be tempting to answer “yes.” The relationship between vendors and nurse leaders is a delicate balance between give and take, but sometimes the take seems to outweigh the give. Nonetheless, OR leaders should always remember that healthcare vendors are supposed to be partners. In fact, we are united with vendors in shared accountability for patient safety. The more open and…

TAKEAWAYS • Addressing an employee with a competency or behavior issue is important for the well-being of staff and managers. • Determining the reason for the issue is an important first step to resolving it. • Sources of support for managers include colleagues, human resources, and educators. In today’s perioperative environment, every staff member is precious. Even for ORs not facing personnel shortages already, the loss of even one person could significantly burden the remaining staff. This situation makes dealing…

TAKEAWAYS • HR should be involved early in the disciplinary process to help guide OR leaders’ decision-making throughout disciplinary and/or remediatoin processes. • Timing, privacy, opportunities for employee feedback, and an empathetic approach are among the most important considerations for a final termination meeting. • Whatever the process for communicating the change to the rest of the team, doing so promptly can help prevent rumors. A key part of an OR leader’s responsibility is to help team members succeed. Leaders…

Takeaways • This buddy program works for all levels of an organization and for anyone who is starting to do something new in a leadership role. • New leaders often feel like they are being “thrown into the deep end,” and having buddies can help them feel safe. • The real “gold” in the new manager and buddy relationship is that the buddy can explain how everything works, especially things that are not on the organizational chart. With the significant…

Conscientious leaders strive for excellence and have high expectations of everyone around them. If you are like me, you may have been told at times to lower your expectations. But I believe if you raise the bar, people worth retaining will meet the bar if they have the support to get there. As healthcare leaders, we should always be raising the bar. We have the privilege of caring for people in their most vulnerable state. Great leaders accept that privilege…

Demand for interim executive leadership services in 2018 increased by 113%, according to a 2019 Nurse Leader article. “We are experiencing a gap for qualified and trained nursing leaders at all levels, but especially the chief nursing officer level,” says Ila Minnick, MS, BSN, RN, president, Interim Leadership Associates. “Because it can take up to 6 months or longer to hire a permanent leader, interims who can fill that role, maintain momentum, and keep the organization moving forward are of…

Managing the OR is similar to playing a game of poker. To win, a player must be able to read the others around the table, and to succeed, managers must be able to read their staff members and colleagues. Most importantly, they all must know the rules and when it’s their turn to act. At the 2018 OR Manager Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, David A. Wyatt, PhD, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, used the poker metaphor and his own experiences to help…

Success for any new leader hinges on the ability to be both “student” and “teacher” because the role requires learning and mentoring. Striking a balance between these roles can be especially daunting for new perioperative services leaders, which is why Bruce Tulgan was invited to speak at the 2019 OR Manager Conference taking place September 18-20 in New Orleans. Tulgan is the founder and chief executive officer of RainmakerThinking, Inc, a research, training, and consulting firm in New Haven, Connecticut…

New leaders are at a premium in the perioperative setting, a fact that has been pushing organizations to explore innovative options to fill leadership gaps. Ideally, healthcare organizations should have a comprehensive program that integrates didactic instruction with mentorship to successfully build new nurse leaders. One example is the structured nursing leadership development program at Duke University Health System, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. Of the 40 participants who completed the program in late summer 2017, at least eight went…

Developing effective leaders for the perioperative setting is typically one of the most challenging parts of a current leader’s role. It’s tempting to quickly plug leadership holes with whoever is at hand—even if the person’s leadership aptitude or abilities are lacking. But that approach usually leads to high turnover and yet another job hunt. Success is more likely to happen with a leadership development program that identifies nurse leaders and provides continuing support through the transition into the leadership role.…

Surgical services is endowed with a large number of senior nurse leaders. The average age of perioperative nursing managers and directors is 55, and on average, they have been in nursing 30.5 years, according to the 2012 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly half plan to retire by 2020. As ORs plan for succession, OR Manager asked experienced leaders to reflect on principles and practices that have served them well over the years. Some common characteristics of a good leader include…

We’ll examine how cloud-based SaaS platforms optimize surgical capacity, increase case volume, and boost surgeon and staff satisfaction in resource-constrained environments. The webinar will cover critical aspects of successful surgical scheduling, including planning, team communication, patient safety, and data management. Given the sensitive nature of medical information, we’ll also address the latest cybersecurity threats facing healthcare institutions and provide an overview of best practices for protecting patient data and maintaining HIPAA compliance. Key topics will include secure data storage, encryption…

This comprehensive session dissects key performance indicators (KPIs) within the operating room, addressing obstacles and revealing targeted strategies for success. Perioperative leaders face real-world challenges, and we provide tangible solutions, particularly in maximizing block utilization—an integral component of operational efficiency. Attendees will leave with the confidence to utilize data effectively, driving impactful change and elevating their perioperative practices.

Tray optimization is a balance between two approaches in surgical instrument management: Standardize – supply all surgical teams with the same instruments or Customize – provide your teams with exactly what they want. One approach simplifies processes in SPD, while the other simplifies OR workflows. In this whitepaper, you’ll learn how to strike the right balance between the two approaches reduces errors, improves efficiency, and cuts costs.

This session from OR Manager Conference is tailored for new managers seeking foundational knowledge in key business topics crucial for their professional growth and success. Join us for an insightful discussion covering essential skill sets such as relationship building, technical skills and ROI justification for capital equipment. In addition, several case studies and examples will be presented to demonstrate business skills that can be applied to any procedural area.

This workshop from OR Manager Conference will highlight the standards utilized from the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) organization. The standards provide the framework for the care of patients within the perianesthesia setting. The speakers will share their processes and resources to help create assessments, education, simulations, and orientation. These tools can be utilized to enhance nursing knowledge, skills, and confidence that can lead to improved patient outcomes.