Editor's Note Overlapping surgery can be safely performed without risking patient safety, this study from Emory University Hospital finds. Of 2,275 neurosurgical cases included in the analysis, 1,303 were overlapping and 972 were nonoverlapping. The researchers found no difference between overlapping and nonoverlapping neurosurgical procedures in terms of 90-day postoperative…
Editor's Note Electronic mandatory incident reporting system data entry and an initiative to understand and address reporting barriers and motivators were associated with sustained increases in adverse event reporting by pediatric anesthesiologists, in this study. Of 72,384 pediatric anesthetics analyzed, there were 2,689 adverse events. A subgroup of 54,469 cases…
Editor's Note Opioid use in total hip and knee patients decreased by one-third between 2006 and 2014, which reflects success in the use of a multimodal approach (ie, opioids plus additional pain management methods, such as peripheral nerve blocks and acetaminophen) to pain management, finds this study presented October 21…
Editor's Note Standardizing clinical processes for outpatient hernia repairs reduced postoperative pain and unplanned returns to the emergency department (ED), finds this study presented October 23 at the American College of Surgeons 2017 Clinical Congress in San Diego. Researchers developed a standardized eight-step protocol that incorporated best practices and enhanced…
More than 1,350 perioperative nurse leaders from across the US and other countries gathered in Orlando, Florida, October 2-4 for the 30th annual OR Manager Conference. The celebration of this milestone anniversary coincided with the inaugural postanesthesia care unit (PACU) Manager Summit, which brought together more than 250 leaders. Many…
The leadership gap expected to occur when Baby Boomers retire leaves many OR managers worried about succession planning. About 40% of respondents to the annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey plan to retire between now and 2026. By 2020, about half of all nurses will be Millennials, according to the literature.…
Where will new OR nurses come from in the future? Some OR leaders are answering that question with nurse externship programs for students. Although they require an initial investment, these programs can ultimately pay off financially. Externs who decide to train for the OR tend to be happy with their…
Editor's Note The nursing workforce is growing more diverse and educated, and relationships between nurses and physicians are improving, finds this study. Data on nearly 5,000 nurses in 13 states were included in the study. The nurses comprised four cohorts who were surveyed in 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2016. Significantly…
Editor's Note Nearly 40 members of Congress and staff on October 12 received training from surgeon members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) on how to stop life-threatening bleeding. The class was designed to teach individuals with no prior medical knowledge how to control rapid bleeding from traumatic injuries…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on October 4 that it is deleting element of performance (EP) 3 for Medication Management 09.01.01 for hospitals and critical access hospitals, effective October 1. The standard states: “The [critical access] hospital educates patients, and their families as needed, regarding the appropriate use of…