Tag: Communication

New technology and workflow lead to surgical volume growth

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) in Sarasota, Florida, is a Level 2 trauma center with 839 beds and more than 900 physicians. The 430 members of the surgical staff perform more than 24,300 inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures in the 34 operating suites each year. With this level of…

Read More

By: OR Manager
April 22, 2019
Share

Vigilance best protects ASCs from workplace violence

Violence is a fact of life in healthcare settings. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that, on average, healthcare workers are four times as likely to be victimized as those in private industry. Most types of violent incidents involve patients or visitors acting out against staff, accounting for 93%…

Read More

By: Jennifer Lubell
April 22, 2019
Share

Cultural, generational factors influencing RN retention

Editor's Note Generational and cultural differences may affect an RN’s job satisfaction and intent to stay, and nurse leaders must reassess staff satisfaction beyond mandatory annual staff engagement surveys, this study finds. An online survey of 309 RNs at a tertiary care hospital in south Texas found that: Millennials anticipate…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
April 3, 2019
Share

Savvy leaders know how to 'read' themselves and their staffs

Managing the OR is similar to playing a game of poker. To win, a player must be able to read the others around the table, and to succeed, managers must be able to read their staff members and colleagues. Most importantly, they all must know the rules and when it’s…

Read More

By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
March 15, 2019
Share

Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR team—Part 2

Several never events at The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA) in Aurora, Colorado, over a 1-year period prompted leaders there to launch patient safety first (PSF) initiatives. Part 1 of this series discussed how these initiatives were identified and implemented, and the importance of evidence-based communication tools (OR Manager, March…

Read More

By: Iris Llewellyn
March 15, 2019
Share

Failure to debrief after anesthesia critical events tied to communication breakdowns

Editor's Note Failure to debrief after critical events is common in anesthesia trainees and teams, and communication breakdowns are associated with the failure to debrief, this study finds. Over a 1-year period at a large academic medical center, anesthesiology residents and some attending anesthesiologists were audited and/or interviewed about the…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
March 7, 2019
Share

Surgical transfer unit allows patients to bypass ED

There are few things more disheartening for patients than having to board in the emergency department (ED) for long periods while waiting for a bed. ED boarding can also delay treatment and adds to overcrowding and backups. Erlanger Health System, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided to tackle this problem head…

Read More

By: Catherine Spader, RN
February 20, 2019
Share

Prioritizing patient safety unites and empowers OR team—Part 1

Communication breakdowns in the perioperative environment are a factor in 70% of events that adversely affect patients. Sometimes those breakdowns occur because OR staff are reluctant to voice their concerns in an environment that is hierarchical and intimidating. However, when an organization adopts patient safety first (PSF) initiatives, adverse outcomes…

Read More

By: Iris Llewellyn
February 20, 2019
Share

Automated text messages improve joint replacement outcomes

Editor's Note An automated text messaging system increased patient engagement with home-based exercise and promoted faster recovery after knee and hip replacements, this study finds. In this analysis of 159 patients (83 controls, 76 intervention) having total knee or hip replacement surgery, those receiving timely texts showed improvement in the…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
January 22, 2019
Share

Harmful medical errors drop after implementing program to improve communication with families

Editor's Note Harmful medical errors decreased by nearly 38% after implementing a program to improve communication between healthcare providers, patients, and families, finds this study. A total of 3,106 pediatric patient admissions in seven US hospitals, 2,148 parents or caregivers, 435 nurses, 203 medical students, and 586 residents were involved…

Read More

By: Judy Mathias
December 11, 2018
Share

Join our community

Learn More
Video Spotlight
Live chat by BoldChat