Editor's Note Kaiser Permanente union workers have agreed to a new 4-year contract that includes 21% raises along with new minimum wages and provisions to improve staffing shortages, Chief Healthcare Executive November 10 reports.  In October of this year, more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers, including nurses and technicians,…

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Editor's Note According to a first-of-its-kind study from the American Nurses Foundation, nurses receive just one penny of every dollar donated to healthcare, despite being the largest group of healthcare professionals in the US, a November 15 press release from the foundation reports. Some findings include: Private donations to healthcare…

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Most hospitals agree that they can better harness the data they are collecting from registration through discharge in order to streamline patient turnovers, reduce wait times, and improve patient and staff satisfaction, but there is still uncertainty about how best to turn massive quantities of data into better patient outcomes.…

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Staffing crises continue to plague the healthcare industry, but that cannot continue to be the focus of perioperative leaders. That was the poignant message that underscored the attendee experience at the 36th OR Manager Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. After attending the engaging keynotes, numerous breakout sessions, and several networking events,…

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In today’s digital age, social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are transforming the ways we connect and communicate. Through these platforms, users can share information, ideas, and personal messages, as well as build networks and communities. It is also becoming an integral part of everyday life.…

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Takeaways Clinical hours per case is a simple, yet effective, productivity metric. Analysis of productivity measures can include benchmarking against external and internal data. A positive work culture will improve staff productivity. Many health systems rely on external, third-party agencies to deploy nurses and other staff. But when a situation…

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Editor's Note A study of nurses in the UK found that the majority of those surveyed felt undervalued and under-recognized, perceiving that they did not have a voice in higher-level decision-making, during the pandemic. The findings were published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing on October 30. Forty participants were…

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Editor's Note A November 2022 survey of American Society of Anesthesiologists members found that, post-pandemic, anesthesiologists are experiencing unprecedented levels of workplace stress and staffing shortages. The findings were published in the November 2023 issue of the journal Anesthesiology.  The authors surveyed the US attending members of the American Society…

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Editor's Note Seeking higher pay and greater flexibility, many nurses are turning to gig work, MedicalXpress November 8 reports. The article defines gig work as “picking up individual shifts on an app as an alternative to months-long contracts or direct employment by a hospital.” Also according to the article: 100,000…

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Editor's Note There is a lack of gender, ethnic, and racial diversity in leadership roles in US academic surgery departments, according to a new study in JAMA Surgery that was published on October 11. The authors included in their analysis 154 surgical departments within 146 medical schools and affiliated hospitals…

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