Just culture creates a safe, positive environment
Just culture has become a bit of a buzzword, so it’s worth revisiting what the term truly means and how it can be implemented and sustained. Although it’s a powerful tool for improving patient safety, just culture is effective only when leaders set expectations for processes and behavior, and address…
Peer review inspires high performance from providers
Peer review is a hot topic in the quality arena as many ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) strive to create meaningful and sustainable evaluation of their providers. “As a surveyor, I can tell you peer review trips everybody up,” says Ann Geier, MS, RN, CNOR, CASC, chief nursing officer of Surgical…
12-week program prepares new nurses for the OR
If you told OR leaders they could onboard a nurse without previous surgical experience in just 12 weeks, most would scoff, “Impossible!” But at Sutter Health University, the impossible has become not only possible, but highly successful, thanks to an innovative program created by Renee Dodge, MSN, RN, RNFA, CNOR,…
Study: Nursing skill mix linked to mortality, quality
Editor's Note This study led by Linda H. Aiken, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, finds that employment of more nurse assistants relative to the number of professional nurses in hospitals is associated with higher mortality and lower quality of care. Every 10-point increase in the percentage of…
Survey: OR staff low in volume, experience, engagement--Part 1
OR managers might yearn for a past when a well-staffed team of experienced RNs and surgical technologists were committed heart and soul to their jobs, but it’s clear that idyllic time is gone, if indeed, it ever really existed. Most managers now face a triple threat in staffing trends, any…
Implementing a coaching program for practicing surgeons
Editor's Note Several technical and nontechnical skill sets of practicing surgeons were found to be in need of improvement, in this study, which provided support for implementing coaching programs for surgeons on an ongoing basis. A total of 32 surgeons (18 general, 14 gynecologists) from 6 hospitals were assessed; 9…
High competency levels promote ASC staff and patient satisfaction
Leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) know a competent staff is essential for optimal patient outcomes and financial well-being, but competing pressures sometimes relegate competency assessment to completing a checklist to meet regulatory requirements. Unfortunately, this approach can result in missed opportunities. “Competency assessment helps promote safe care and quality…
Creativity holds keys to competency assessment
How can leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) ensure they have a competent staff? First, they must hire staff with the right skill sets, and then they should implement meaningful methods for ongoing assessment. Here are some strategies for meeting these goals. Begin with the hiring process “When you…
Process improvements raise SPD standards and quality
When audits revealed areas of deficit in the sterile processing departments (SPDs) of the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, leaders pulled together a team to help implement a quality improvement plan. By analyzing and standardizing their processes, creating auditing tools, and educating staff, they significantly increased quality scores throughout…
OR competency programs boost staff loyalty and productivity
Much has been written about projected nursing shortages and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining nurses. With few options for structured education specifically geared toward the OR, and pending retirements of many perioperative services leaders, most healthcare facilities are relying on staff—which may or may not include a nurse educator—to…
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