Tag: Communication

Pledge makes positive culture a priority in the OR--Part 1

An organization’s culture is shaped by the collective attitudes and behaviors of the people who work there, and if no one is willing to make personal changes, no program of the month is likely to have a lasting impact. To change their attitudes and behaviors, people must be made aware…

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By: OR Manager
February 22, 2018
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Total joint cases on firm footing after OR team huddles

Effective use of a daily huddle and customized software for scheduling have had a dramatic impact on efficiency at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital in New York City. Cancellations on the day of surgery have dropped from a rate of about 10% prior to implementation of huddles to less than 1%,…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
February 22, 2018
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Decreasing intraop delays with surgical safety checklist

Editor's Note Purposeful completion (fidelity) of, more than adherence to, items in the surgical safety checklist diminished intraoperative delays in this study. Of 591 cases analyzed, 110 (19%) had at least one documented intraoperative delay. The majority were related to missing (50%) or malfunctioning (30%) equipment. Degree of fidelity was…

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By: Judy Mathias
February 14, 2018
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Postop wound monitoring app helps detect SSIs

Editor's Note A new smartphone app called “WoundCare” is successfully letting patients send images of their surgical wounds to nurses for monitoring, this study finds. The goal of the app, developed by researchers from the Wisconsin Institute of Surgical Outcomes Research, University of Wisconsin, Madison, is earlier detection of surgical…

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By: Judy Mathias
January 23, 2018
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Planning can relieve 'growing pains' of hospital mergers

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions are becoming as common as add-on cases in the OR, with hospitals struggling to stay profitable in a financially challenging environment. Between 2008 and 2014, the United States had nearly 400 hospital mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with more than 750 hospitals being acquired or merged. “It’s…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
January 19, 2018
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Bullying: From conflict to confrontation to civility in the OR--Part 2

Kermit the frog famously said, “it’s not easy being green.” He longed to be some other color, and OR leaders faced with managing a bully have probably wished they, too, could be someone—or somewhere—else. Using some recommended approaches can help. In Part 2 of this three-part series on bullying, OR…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
January 19, 2018
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Visual cues help PACU staff avoid medication errors

Concern about opioid abuse has reached epic proportions in recent months, and healthcare providers have come under increasing pressure to help mitigate the problem. Curbing the tendency to overprescribe pain medications is considered the first, most obvious step, but there are other actions that can also improve patient safety. Nurse…

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By: Judith M. Mathias, MA, RN
January 19, 2018
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Effect of standardized handoff on improved clinician preparedness in the ICU

Editor's Note The UW [University of Washington]-IPASS standardized handoff curriculum improves provider preparedness and workflow in the ICU, this study finds. The intent of UW-IPASS is to standardized and improve clinician handoffs through the use of a mnemonic and electronic medical record tool that ensures communication of essential information. UW-IPASS…

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By: Judy Mathias
January 8, 2018
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Peer initiative cultivates a better OR culture

The following “success story” describes the PEER initiative at Geisinger Medical Center, which has involved staff in making decisions to improve processes and communication. OR Manager periodically publishes success stories like this from nurse leaders or other healthcare providers who want to share their experience with our readers. Recent examples…

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By: OR Manager
December 14, 2017
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Survey finds lack of support for texting of medical orders

Editor's Note A survey released November 16 by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices found that many healthcare providers do not support the texting of medical orders. Of 778 respondents, which included nurses, pharmacists, physicians and other prescribers, medication/patient safety officers, and quality risk managers, 33% did not believe medical…

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By: Judy Mathias
November 27, 2017
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