Staffing remains an ongoing challenge for OR managers, according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with open positions and turnover creating headaches. Attracting and retaining top talent is a crucial part of any OR leader’s job. This three-part series explores successful recruitment strategies: marketing (Part 1), interviewing and…

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Poor communication has been the root cause of many sentinel events over the years, and there has been growing recognition of how the work environment and culture influence patient outcomes. In a 2018 Sentinel Event Alert, the Joint Commission stressed the need to develop a “reporting culture”—to make it safe…

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Staffing remains a significant challenge for many leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents reported more open RN positions, significantly higher than the 26% in 2018; over the past 5 years, only 2016 had a higher…

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Healthcare workers are at risk for bloodborne pathogen exposures in areas ranging from the clinic to the OR—both inpatient and outpatient settings. Such exposures not only cause anxiety, they cost an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 per exposure for things such as baseline and follow-up laboratory testing, treatment of exposed personnel,…

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As part of a special series on artificial intelligence (AI), OR Manager is taking a deep dive into the many facets of this new technology and its impact on patient care. In this issue we continue our examination of the challenges related to AI, which began in last month’s issue…

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Current endoscope reprocessing methods are not consistently effective in eliminating organic soil or microbes, and the off-label use of products for defoaming, lubrication, and bleeding control may be contributing to reprocessing failures. Though endoscope manufacturers have cautioned against the use of these products, endoscopists still commonly use them, and many…

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Our series on artificial intelligence (AI) concludes in this issue with part 2 of an in-depth look at legal and ethical questions (cover story) as well as advice for evaluating new AI products (“Consider all angles when choosing AI technology,” p 13). But insights about future trends like AI do…

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Many OR managers have likely experienced bullying, incivility, or lateral violence at some point in their careers. For newer and more seasoned managers alike, advice for handling difficult people is always welcome, and attendees at the 2019 OR Manager Conference in New Orleans will gain some valuable insights from Barbara…

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