Criteria executives consider when investing in digital health
Editor's Note Some hospitals and health systems are scaling up their telehealth initiatives and have established venture funds to invest in digital health innovations. Four health system executives with venture funds spoke to Becker’s Hospital Review May 24 about what “criteria they look for” and/or consider before investing in digital…
Age patterns of COVID-19 mortality by race, ethnicity, gender
Editor's Note This study led by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, finds that from the second (November 2020 to February 2021) through the third periods (July to October 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic, declines in mortality for various racial, ethnic, and gender combinations were especially large for those…
FDA: Class I recall of Woodside Acquisitions SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test kits
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 16 identified the recall of Woodside Acquisitions Inc’s Oral Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits and Joysbio SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits (Colloidal Gold) as Class I, the most serious. The tests are being recalled because they were distributed to…
Stuart Downs: Finding power in meaningful recognition
All leaders at some point in their careers should find ways to reward and recognize their staff. But what most leaders fail to grasp is, the heart behind the reward is immediately apparent and matters almost as much as the reward itself. Stuart Downs, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, CPHQ, FACHE,…
Solutions for frontline worker resilience—dark chocolate, exercise, fresh air
COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on nurses and other frontline healthcare workers. Just about everyone has been affected by shortages of basic supplies like personal protective equipment (PPE), syringes, and IV tubing, and staffing issues are even more concerning, says Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, president and CEO of Ofstead…
Editorial
Staffing and labor costs have been consuming the thoughts of managers at all levels of leadership. Since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated work conditions and safety concerns, healthcare leaders have had to deal with an unprecedented number of resignations and increased turnover with the rise of travel nursing. Calls for greater…
Engaging student nurses to prime the OR nurse pump: Part 1
Concerns about the pipeline of OR nurses existed long before COVID-19, but the pandemic has heightened these concerns. Many nurses plan to exit the profession in the next few years (sidebar, Workforce outlook). Unfortunately, the pipeline of replacement nurses is nearly dry as student experiences in the OR have been…
Revisions to ANSI/AAMI ST91, flexible endoscope processing
The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) released the updated ANSI/AAMI ST91:2021 Flexible and semi-rigid endoscope processing in healthcare facilities. The revised version reflects current research and advancements in flexible endoscope processing. What follows is an abbreviated summary of some of the key revisions and additions. Future columns…
Results of competency assessment study of OR nurses in the US
Perioperative nursing was the first recognized nursing specialty in the late 1800s. Modern education and training of nurses entering the specialty is still like this early period. Orientation is heavily reliant on workplace training and precepted learning experience. However, these long-standing methods have not been rigorously studied for effectiveness. The…
Five things to ask distributors about ASCs
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve with impacts shifting over time, some of the changes it brought to healthcare—specifically the OR—may be permanent. One trend it accelerated: the rise in new ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which specialize in elective or same-day outpatient surgical procedures. While this trend was largely…