With all that managers have to balance—schedules, meetings, staff, reports, and shrinking resources, not to mention home, family, and school—who has time to think about being funny? Humor may be more valuable than you imagine, not only in dealing with stress but also in being a better manager. Humor is…

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A weak economy continues to affect staffing in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to the 22nd annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with about 80% of nurse managers saying staff turnover stayed the same compared to 12 months ago, similar to 2011 results. Other staffing parameters are also similar to last…

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Motivation means more than money. That’s a message perioperative nursing directors have taken to heart. The 2012 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey asked OR managers and directors for their most successful ways of recognizing staff beyond salary raises and bonuses. Most often mentioned by hospital OR directors are: • thank you…

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Who assists at surgery in your OR? If not physicians, most commonly they are RN first assistants (RNFAs) and physician assistants, OR Manager subscribers report in a new survey. Only 15% of respondents say they do not use nonphysicians as assistants. Not surprisingly, more community hospitals (89%) use nonphysicians in…

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Experts offer this advice on oversight of assistants at surgery. Experts on the first assisting role offer this advice on oversight of assistants at surgery.   Know the scope of practice Assisting at surgery in most states is a function delegated by the surgeon, and persons who assist perform their…

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Does your hospital have advanced practice RNs (APRNs) who want to assist in surgery? Are your perioperative nurses, including RN first assistants, interested in advanced practice? Here are things to know about this developing role.   What is an APRN? The APRN is a direct patient care role that requires…

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Nearly two-thirds (60%) of employees who leave a position do so because of their relationship with their direct supervisor, according to the Studer Group, a health care consulting organization. “Satisfaction is about relationship,” says Marcus Erb, senior research partner at the Great Place to Work Institute, which helps organizations become…

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The average age of a perioperative nurse is higher than the average of 47 for nurses overall. That makes retaining older nurses a critical need for OR managers. The immediate problem has subsided in recent years because of the poor economy. Still, “We’re concerned that as soon as the economy…

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