Editor's Note An 8-minute module can be deployed in clinical and nonclinical settings to train a large workforce in hemorrhage control, this study finds. In response to active shooter and mass casualty incidents, researchers at UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, Iowa, wanted to see if they could take important information from…

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Traditionally, nursing students have had little exposure to the perioperative setting, creating a challenge for OR leaders seeking to build the future workforce. How can they spark interest in the OR, if students haven’t experienced it? One way is for hospitals to partner with schools of nursing. Two innovative programs…

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Here’s a question to ponder: If a dozen oranges went up in price as fast as healthcare prices between 1945 and 2009, what would they have cost in 2009? It’s the kind of question you might expect from someone interested in both healthcare and business. David Chin, MD, MBA, likes…

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More than 400 surgical services directors, business managers, and thought leaders gathered in New Orleans in early February for the 2017 OR Business Management Conference. They came to explore new technology, learn from experts in the field, and network with their peers. They left with a wealth of ideas on…

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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,…

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Editor's Note Greater sharing of team mental models (ie, shared understanding of team members) leads to better team performance, this study finds. The study also found that team mental models predicted team performance over time. The study involved 30 interns participating in a simulation training program. The findings suggest that…

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Editor's Note Communication patterns and needs vary between members of the surgical team and by specialty during simulated operative emergencies, and the effect of directed communication in eliciting a response (ie, closed loop communication) depends on the clinical status of the patient, finds this study. Surgeons and nurses initiated fewer…

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Editor's Note A new training model at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospitals improved cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in emergency room nurses, finds this study presented November 15 at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2016. Quarterly training sessions using mobile simulation stations for 1 year led to improved…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on October 31 announced a new initiative to improve the knowledge and management of pain in surgical patients, with a focus on opioid risks and non-opioid alternatives. The initiative, titled, “Opioids and Surgery: Use, Abuse, and Alternatives,” will encompass the following: evidence-based…

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Editor's Note Only half of departments of surgery in the US have established mentorship programs, and most are informal, unstructured, and do not involve all of the key stakeholders, this study finds. Of 155 chairs of departments of surgery surveyed 76 responded, for a 49% response rate. A total of…

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