First assistants (FAs) can play an important role in achieving optimal outcomes and higher surgical case volumes. Part 1 of this two-part series discussed types, education, and certification of FAs (OR Manager, May 2021, pp 1, 15-18). Part 2 answers questions related to risk management and oversight, and discusses possible…

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Non-physician surgical first assistants (FAs) perform a variety of tasks—everything from closing an incision and inserting drains to harvesting veins for bypass procedures and preparing anterior cruciate ligament grafts. A significant benefit of FAs is shorter case times, which may help reduce patient morbidity and mortality and increase case volumes.…

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Results from the 2020 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey show that despite the turbulent times, most OR leaders view their work favorably; 77% are satisfied with their jobs, with nearly a third describing themselves as “completely satisfied.” This might seem surprising in light of COVID-19, but many nurse leaders are…

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Editor's Note In this study, specialty certification was associated with greater professional identity in ICU nurses and higher perceptions of knowledge of and value in evidence-based practices, whereas education level was not. Of 268 respondents from six hospitals and 12 adult ICUs in an integrated health system, 71% had a…

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Staffing headaches for OR managers continue, according to the 2019 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with more than a third of respondents reporting that the percentage of open positions compared with 12 months ago has increased for both RNs and surgical technologists (STs). The clock has to be turned back…

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Poor communication has been the root cause of many sentinel events over the years, and there has been growing recognition of how the work environment and culture influence patient outcomes. In a 2018 Sentinel Event Alert, the Joint Commission stressed the need to develop a “reporting culture”—to make it safe…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on August 14 that accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals will be able to supplement local data with data acquired from Medicare-certified hospitals and critical access hospitals for the purposes of practitioner credentialing, privileging, and evaluation (focused and ongoing). The supplemental data may not…

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High labor costs, surgeon dissatisfaction, high staff turnover, and low staff competency are problems that dog many OR leaders at some point in their careers. When managers at the Stanford University Medical Center Main OR in Stanford, California, found themselves facing all of these problems at once, they knew something…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on February 7 announced that it is seeking comments on proposed revisions to its credentialing and privileging standards for contract services in Hospital, Critical Access Hospital, Ambulatory Health Care, Office-based Surgery, Nursing Care Center, and Behavioral Health Care accreditation programs. The revisions clarify or consolidate existing…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on January 3 announced that it is no longer requiring hospitals, critical access hospitals, or ambulatory care organizations to credential and privilege pathologists who provide diagnostic services through independent reference (contract) laboratories. The Joint Commission says accredited organizations can safely presume that pathologists who work…

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