Racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes of cancer patients
Editor's Note This multi-center study by cancer centers across the US finds that having cancer and COVID-19 is associated with worse outcomes in Black patients compared with White patients. Of 3,506 patients included in the analysis, 1,068 (30%) were Black and 2,438 (70%) were White. At the time of COVID-19…
The Joint Commission seeking comments on proposed new, revised requirements to reduce healthcare disparities
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 23 announced that it is developing new and revised requirements on reducing healthcare disparities for its accreditation programs. A field review is open and seeking comments on the proposed new Leadership (LD) standard LD.04.03.08 as well as revisions to the Record of Care,…
FDA: Class I recall of Philips Respironics V60, V60 Plus Ventilators
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 21 identified the recall by Philips Respironics of certain V60 and V60 Plus Ventilators as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because a subset of these devices had parts that were put together using an expired adhesive.…
OR Business Management Conference - Advanced Rates Expire on April 28!
REMINDER: Advanced Rates expire on April 28! Register for OR Business Management Conference by April 28 to save on your All-Access, Conference, or Workshop Pass! Explore some of our featured sessions, learning objectives, and take-home tools below. To view the full conference agenda, click here. Approach Staffing with a Renewed…
Josh Wymer: Helping to find the human connection
Most, if not all, nurses will agree that the bedrock of the nursing profession is the connection nurses have with their patients. But the leaders—nurses who demonstrate specialized skills and an organization-driven mindset—are the ones who oversee all the moving parts that need to synchronize to preserve the integrity of…
Effective orientation vital for a sustainable workforce: Part 1
Even before the pandemic, many OR leaders struggled to maintain adequate staffing. However, COVID-19 has undoubtedly aggravated the situation, with many nurses choosing to exit the profession, leave the hospital setting, or seek higher wages as a per diem traveler. As OR leaders work to fill open positions, they may…
Editorial
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the global ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market is valued at around $81 billion, as of 2020, and it is projected to reach $120 billion by 2027. The ASC market in the US is estimated at almost $22 billion, with intelligence company…
Move Well: Teaching OR staff to avoid musculoskeletal injuries
Nurses have the highest incidence of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in the US, and OR nurses have the highest incidence among all nursing specialties. Estimates in the literature say more than 50% report chronic back pain, and 10% must leave their profession entirely because of back injuries. It is also estimated…
Impact of supply chain crisis on surgical services
What happens when global supply chains—which are already typically operated lean across the board—are hit with a once-in-a-century pandemic? An ongoing, collective lesson in economics. The problem is not hard to understand: COVID-19 shutdowns brought manufacturing to a near standstill, during which time the demand for goods increased, and now there…
Select demographics of nationwide sample of OR nurses
In the March 2022 issue of OR Manager, the Competency and Credentialing Institute (CCI) presented and analyzed the current sources of data that have historically made up a demographic representation of the perioperative nursing workforce. Our article also spoke to the issue of the lack of coordination among the groups…