Less focus on checking off boxes, more focus on teamwork. That's the shift experts say is needed to make lasting change to keep patients safer in surgery. The new study from the Veterans Health Administration finds OR team training was associated with a reduction in patient mortality (related article). VA…

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When leaders at New Jersey Surgery Center (NJSC) saw an increase in postoperative hypertension and lengths of stay for some patients, they decided to look deeper. They learned that discharges were being delayed because more patients were receiving vasoactive drugs and needed prolonged surveillance, says Patricia O'Donnell, RN-BC, CPAN, CAPA,…

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Recommendations for Class 6 emulating indicators, a new class of indicator for monitoring sterilization, have been issued for the first time by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). These indicators, which entered the market a couple of years ago, use a different approach than biological indicators (BI).…

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Which is more expensive—a robotic handle or a shunt valve? How much does hemostatic matrix cost? Thanks to an innovative game modeled after "The Price is Right," staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNM), Albuquerque, know the answers: The shunt valve is more expensive than the robotic handle…

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Just over one-third (34%) of respondents to the OR Manager Salary/Career survey say they have an OR business manager. That's slightly lower than the 38% in 2008 but a substantial gain over the 23% in 2005. What are the OR business manager's responsibilities? (n = 99) Financial analysis/reporting 86% Value…

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Third in a series on selecting and hiring perioperative nurses and integrating them into the staff. So far, this series has taken us from developing selection criteria to making a job offer. In the September and October 2010 issues, we looked at the first 9 steps for identifying suitable participants…

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Your OR has had an adverse event. A debriefing has been held with those involved, and a root cause analysis has been performed. Systems issues have been identified, and process improvements are underway. But how do you get the word out to other nurses and physicians that the same kind…

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Walt Disney World in Orlando provided the stage for the 23rd Annual Managing Today's OR Suite conference September 29 to October 1, 2010. OR Manager of the Year Lorna Eberle RN, BSN, CNOR, is congratulated by Mickey. The 632 attendees listened to informative, inspiring programs packed with ideas to apply…

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