How competency assessment could extend beyond licensing
Competency assessment in perioperative nursing—and American healthcare in general—is a story of unrealized potential. Particularly in the wake of the pandemic, staffing shortfalls and financial pressures have made focusing on staff development difficult for nurse leaders. Nonetheless, the argument for investing more in professional development and competency has never been…
Editorial: Are you a perioperative nurse or an OR nurse?
For me, the answer is easy. For 25 years I have consistently said, “I’ve never nursed an OR a day in my life; it’s always been the patients.” As perioperative nurses, what we do is about more than where we work. Why is it that 25 years after the Association…
Scaling standards from sterile processing department to clinic
Reforming instrument reprocessing practices does not always end with the main sterile processing department (SPD). Holding clinics to the same standard adds to the challenge, whether they are associated with hospitals or operate independently. Nonetheless, standardization is just as essential to maintaining efficiency and quality standards. Establishing and maintaining best…
Study: “Team nursing” at odds with patient safety; alternative staffing solutions recommended
Editor's Note Substituting lower-wage staff for registered nurses leads to additional patient deaths, the Washington Post reported on June 15. The article focuses on a study published in the journal Medical Care, noting that the new research coincides with a nationwide shortage of RNs and “reports of widespread burnout.” Researchers…
Millenia-old skulls reveal surgery’s ancient origins
Editor's Note New evidence from skulls in a university collection reveals that brain surgery dates back millennia—potentially as far back as 4,o00 years ago. CNN reported the news May 29. Researchers expressed uncertainty in some cases whether marks on the skulls indicated surgery to treat a living person or an…
Editorial: Nurse leaders, vendors must collaborate effectively
Is working with a healthcare vendor a necessary evil? For leaders in the perioperative space, where vendors abound, it may be tempting to answer “yes.” The relationship between vendors and nurse leaders is a delicate balance between give and take, but sometimes the take seems to outweigh the give. Nonetheless,…
Surgery center culture must prioritize cleaning, hand hygiene
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) play an increasingly crucial role in delivering outpatient surgical care that is efficient, effective, and—most importantly—safe. As the ASC sector continues to grow and evolve, maintaining best practices in hand hygiene and environmental cleaning and disinfection is imperative to protect patients from infections. ASCs also should…
Why developing employees is a key competency for new managers
Takeaways Meeting people where they are is a basic principle of staff development. Coaching and mentoring are fundamental to employee development, but new managers should understand the difference. Resources for staff development include education, certification, clinical ladders, committee work, and professional networking. Transitioning to leadership involves many competing pressures, but…
Common inspection points for surgical instrumentation
Inspecting surgical devices is a time-consuming process. However, diligently checking every instrument prior to sterilization is essential to ensuring safe, proper functioning. As the last people to see devices before they are used for patient care, sterile processing technicians must be thorough. Exterior surfaces should be inspected for flaws such…
WHO guidelines target catheter-caused infections
Editor's Note New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance aims to prevent the occurrence of bloodstream and other infections caused by improper use of catheters during medical procedures. Released May 9, the global guidelines focus on insertion, maintenance, and removal of catheters during medical procedures, which can damage organs and cause…
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