Coordinating surgical care means precise staff handoffs
In every OR, the complicated dance of surgical care coordination—the series of handoffs between stakeholders throughout the surgery lifecycle—is performed mainly in the background. Those stakeholders include physician offices, schedulers, preadmission testing, insurance verification, vendors, sterile processing, supply chain, anesthesia, and surgical staff. But what does it look like when…
Meeting the SPD staffing challenge
Takeaways • Failure to understand the complexity of the work performed in the sterile processing department (SPD) can lead to staff shortages, errors, and significant financial loss. • Strategies for addressing SPD staffing include effective orientation, certification, competency assessment, analyzing staffing needs, and leader visibility. • SPD schedules should reflect…
Taking a hands-on approach: A day in the OR manager role
Kim Rosencrans, RN, BSN, has worked as a surgical nurse in a number of successively more senior roles over the past 20 plus years—and she has retained a hands-on approach, even as an OR manager in the Surgery Department at Trinity Health in North Dakota, one of the nation’s largest…
Study: Are clinicians undervaluing patient diagnostic feedback?
Editor’s Note Lending greater weight to patient opinions could help clinicians diagnose certain conditions, according to a study published in Rheumatology on December 18. The study focused specifically on neuropsychiatric lupus, an autoimmune disease that is difficult to diagnose and includes symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and hallucinations that can…
Mastering social media responsibility: A guide for OR leaders
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.…
Role of robotics coordinators in standardization, efficiency
The importance of a dedicated robotics coordinator’s role in an efficient da Vinci robotics program cannot be overstated. “You need someone to take ownership of the program, set up training for staff and surgeons, and coordinate ongoing development,” says June Hill, BSN, RN, CNOR, clinical director of robotics, Inova Health…
AI-supported app improves physician time, patient communication
Editor's Note Physicians at the University of Kansas Health System are piloting an AI-based app called Abridge that captures feedback from the medical care team and transcribes it for patients, Fox4 August 9 reports. This AI-led process reportedly saved time on documentation while providing clear guidance for patients The new…
Leadership session: Managing Disruptive Behavior—A New Approach to Better Communication
Editor's Note “The OR is an inherently stressful environment,” Jessica Atkinson, BSN, BSAVS, RN, CNOR, nurse manager, operating room, at Maine Medical Center, told attendees on Tuesday morning at the OR Manager Conference. The session delved into how both new and experienced leaders need to recognize and manage disruptive behavior…
Study: Surgeon communication with patients on innovative procedures
Editor's Note This study from the UK finds that patients are not given sufficient information about innovative surgical procedures and their potential risks and uncertainties. Researchers collected data on seven cases, using preoperative interviews with surgeons, audio-recorded consultations during which innovative procedures were discussed between surgeons and patients, and postoperative…
Effectiveness of stress-reduction interventions on HCW stress
Editor's Note This updated review from the Netherlands examines the effect of individual-level stress management interventions on stress symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs). Included in the analysis are 117 research studies with 11,119 HCW participants worldwide. The participants were randomly allocated to different interventions, and their stress levels were evaluated…
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