Would You Be Scoped in Your Own Facility? Tips and Tricks to Endoscope Reprocessing
Would You Be Scoped in Your Own Facility? Tips and Tricks to Endoscope Reprocessing by Nancy Schlossberg, BSN, RN, CGRN, CER, Program Director-Digestive Health Services, John Muir Health New guidelines from the American Cancer Society recommend that colorectal cancer screening begin at a younger age than what is currently…
Are Your Hands Clean? - Exploring the Importance of Hand Hygiene in ASCs
Are Your Hands Clean? - Exploring the Importance of Hand Hygiene in ASCs by Donna Label, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, Consultant Taylor, thank you so much for asking me to do this post for the new ASC blog with OR Manger. As this is my first entry, I felt…
First year analysis of CJR bundled payment model
Editor's Note This interim analysis of the first year of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment model finds that CJR may reduce institutional postacute care. Of  75 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) that were assigned the bundled payment model and 121 control MSAs, the mean percentage of discharges…
Millennials who aren’t empowered, leave
Editor's Note Just as it was with Boomers, empowerment is a popular desire among Millennials, but organizations need to know they can’t just talk about empowerment as they did in the past, they actually have to empower Millennials, according to Steve Keating in the August 30 LeadToday.com. Millennials aren’t fooled…
Massachusetts nurse staffing regs did not reduce patient mortality, complications
Editor's Note The Massachusetts state regulation of 1:1 or 2:1 patient-to-nurse staffing ratios in intensive care units (ICUs), as guided by patient complexity scores, was not linked with either increased nurse staffing or changes in patient outcomes, this study finds. Examining records from 246 medical centers nationwide, and comparing patient…
Without a culture of clarity, employees and managers won’t succeed
Editor's Note Whether the problem is turnover, incivility, low patient scores, or managers who don’t know how to give direction, all have the same root cause−lack of a culture of clarity, the September 3 SmartBrief reports. The author gives three examples with lack of clarity at the root and how…
Effectiveness of pulsed-xenon light after terminal cleaning in the OR
Editor's Note When used after terminal cleaning, the pulsed-xenon ultraviolet light (PX-UV) significantly reduced contamination on high-touch surfaces in the OR, this study finds. This analysis included 1,464 surface samples from 136 ORs at 23 hospitals after terminal cleaning and again after PX-UV disinfection. Results showed the average colony forming…
Joint Commission concludes EP revisions
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 29 announced that it has concluded its efforts to streamline and consolidate its elements of performance (EPs) for its accreditation programs as part of its EP Review Project. The Equipment Management chapter of the Home Care Accreditation program and the Leadership chapter for…
Dartmouth-Hitchcock CNO creates millennial nurse mentor role
Editor's Note The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at New Hampshire-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock has created a nurse mentor role to help her address the needs of younger nurses and improve retention rates, the August 24 HealthLeaders Media reports. CNO Karen Clements, MSB, BSN, RN, FACHE, learned of the concept at a meeting…
FDA proposes not including three bulk drug substances that outsourcing facilities may use in compounding
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 28 issued a notice proposing not to include three bulk FDA-approved drug substances−bumetanide, nicardipine hydrochloride, and vasopressin−on the list that outsourcing facilities may use in compounding drug products. The FDA is seeking public comment before finalizing their decision. Comments must…