Editor's Note With increasing numbers of nurse leaders approaching retirement, succession planning is a chief area of concern. To help bridge any potential leadership gap, the annual OR Manager Conference gears many of its sessions to new nurse managers with little to no management experience. Conference organizers have engaged veteran…

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Editor's Note Prescribing fewer opioid tablets postoperatively was associated with lower opioid consumption after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and preoperative education was associated with lower duration and quantity of postoperative opioid use, this study finds. Of 264 patients analyzed, 109 received 50 tablets, 77 received 30 tablets and no education,…

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OR leaders spend much of their day ensuring the surgery schedule runs smoothly, a task that depends on the teams within each of the ORs. Highly functioning teams produce optimal results, including good patient outcomes, satisfied surgeons, and efficient use of resources. But developing a highly functional team with good…

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Labor is the most important resource in an OR and must be used effectively to maintain the financial health of an organization and the well-being of patients. “OR leaders need data tools to manage their labor dollars. How do you know if you are doing it well?” asks Sharon Ulep,…

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Editor's Note Missouri hospitals reported an all-time-high employee turnover rate of 19.5% this year in a report released by the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA). Among the positions with the highest turnover rates: sterile processing technicians, 20.4% surgical technicians, 16.0% staff nurses, 15.2% physician assistants, 15.2%. Hospitals and other stakeholders are…

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As part of a special series on artificial intelligence (AI), OR Manager is taking a deep dive into the many facets of this new technology and its impact on patient care. Part 1 of this introduction to the series (OR Manager, May 2019, 1, 7-11) defined several different types of…

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Though long fasting before a surgical procedure is tied to increased patient risks, the outdated guideline of NPO after midnight continues to be practiced by many healthcare organizations. In 1999, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) revised their fasting guidelines to clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery and…

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Success for any new leader hinges on the ability to be both “student” and “teacher” because the role requires learning and mentoring. Striking a balance between these roles can be especially daunting for new perioperative services leaders, which is why Bruce Tulgan was invited to speak at the 2019 OR…

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Perioperative services departments have been slow to adopt the black boxes used in the aviation industry, partly because it can take a large team of experts hours to analyze data collected by the box. However, the team behind a surgical black box is using artificial intelligence (AI) to significantly cut…

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Editor's Note Education and monitoring of hand hygiene among anesthesia providers in the OR improved hand hygiene compliance in this study from the Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina. Anesthesia providers were educated on the World Health Organization’s five indications for hand hygiene, and their access to hand…

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