Keynote: Turn your workplace into a WOWplace
Editor's Note The OR Business Management Conference opened on Monday, May 16, with a riveting presentation on how to lead teams to success by turning the workplace into a WOWplace—an innovative concept that calls on leaders to find that something that will create a work environment that employees will not…
OR Manager’s OR Business Management Conference kicks off
Editor's Note The OR Business Management Conference opens today! We are celebrating the 10th year we get to bring together business managers, financial directors, administrators, and C- and D-suite executives involved in running the logistics of the surgical suite. This is the only conference that is focused on driving efficiency…
Report: Profession facing shortage of 450,000 nurses by 2025
Editor's Note According to a McKinsey & Company report, titled “Assessing the lingering impact of COVID-19 on the nursing workforce” and published on May 11, the nursing profession in the US will be facing a shortage of 200,000 to 450,000 of RNs “available for direct patient care” by 2025, Becker’s…
Effect of ‘serenity lounges’ on nurse stress, burnout during COVID-19
Editor's Note This study by nurse researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles evaluates the effect of “serenity lounges” (ie, dedicated rooms where nurses can take breaks to relax and rejuvenate) and massage chairs on nurse anxiety, stress, and burnout, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers analyzed 67 paired…
The Joint Commission asks HCWs to remain masked while interacting with surveyors, reviewers
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on May 11, announced that surveyors and reviewers will remain masked, adhere to social distancing, and follow other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines while onsite at an organization. The Joint Commission asks that healthcare workers (HCWs) and organization staff also remain masked while…
COVID-19 linked to ICU admissions of children, adolescents with self-harm
Editor's Note This Australian study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in ICU admissions of children and adolescents with deliberate self-harm. Of 813 study patients aged 12 to 17 years, 230 (15.2%) were admitted during the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the…
The Joint Commission posts Top 5 most challenging requirements for 2021
Editor's Note The Joint Commission, on May 11, posted the Top 5 requirements that were most frequently identified as “not compliant” during surveys and reviews in 2021. The Top 5 for Hospitals were: IC.02.02.01 EP 2: The hospital reduces the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices, and supplies.…
Downstream effects of COVID-19 generated surgical backlog
Editor's Note Delayed elective surgical procedures because of COVID-19 resulted in more emergency department (ED) visits and the need for urgent interventions for gallstone disease but not inguinal hernias, this Canadian study finds. Researchers identified 74,709 elective cholecystectomies and 60,038 elective inguinal hernia repairs. During COVID-19 first and second waves…
Omicron BA.2.12.1 subvariant gaining a foothold
Editor's Note Though new COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron BA.2 subvariant are dropping, Omicron’s more infectious subvariant BA2.12.1 is beginning to gain a foothold in the US, the May 10 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. Omicron BA2.12.1 now accounts for nearly 43% of new cases as of May 7, compared…
FDA: Class I recall of certain Accula SARS-CoV-2 Tests
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 9 identified the recall by Mesa Biotech, Inc, of certain Accula SARS-CoV-2 Tests as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because certain lots of the PCR test have an increased risk of giving false positive results because…