Personal wearable technology, which covers the gamut from activity trackers such as Fitbit to e-textiles that monitor vital signs, have the potential to revolutionize healthcare. Like most innovations, however, the technology comes with risks. For OR leaders, those risks include possible security breaches, distractions, and violation of patient privacy and…

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Much has been written about projected nursing shortages and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining nurses. With few options for structured education specifically geared toward the OR, and pending retirements of many perioperative services leaders, most healthcare facilities are relying on staff—which may or may not include a nurse educator—to…

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Editor's Note A survey of nurse leaders by the American Organization of Nurse Executives found that 81% were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their jobs. The top reason nearly half (47%) of respondents gave for staying in their positions was “I find joy and meaning in my work.” A…

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Editor's Note Washington tops the five best states for nurses based on opportunity, competition, and work environment, according to an annual survey by WalletHub. Illinois is second, followed by Texas, Oregon, and Iowa. The worst spot for nurses was the District of Columbia, just below Louisiana, Hawaii, Alabama, and South…

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Editor's Note RN turnover because of environment-related reasons was higher in non-Magnet hospitals than Magnet hospitals in this study. Non-Magnet hospitals had 4.7 times higher turnover rates because of staffing and workload and 1.4 times higher turnover rates because of work schedules than Magnet hospitals. Nursing administrators in Magnet and…

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Editor's Note Musical preferences and perceptions of the effect of music in the OR differ by professional status and specialty, this study finds. A survey of 282 patients and 390 providers (ie, physicians, residents, and nurses in anesthesiology and surgery), found that: Patients who highly enjoyed music said it alleviated…

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Editor's Note Personality and procedural justice were significantly associated with job satisfaction in new nurse managers with less than 2 years experience in this study. Results showed that new nurse managers with a negative affect and those who did not feel involved in organizational decision making had lower rates of…

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Deciding to become an entrepreneur is an exciting first step in launching a new career, but ensuring the success of that career requires several other steps. Part 1 of this series on entrepreneurship (OR Manager, March 2016, pp 1, 11-13) explored several self-assessment strategies for making the decision to take…

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Editor's Note RNs at Kaiser Permanente’s Los Angeles Medical Center began a 7-day strike on March 15, PR Newswire reports. The focus of the strike is on: improving staffing to protect patient care achieving economic gains to retain experienced RNs and increase recruitment of new RNs. The walkout affects 1,200…

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Editor's Note Readmissions after total hip and knee replacements are associated with nurse staffing levels and poor nurse work environments, finds this study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia. The study analyzed data on more than 112,000 Medicare patients in nearly 500 hospitals. Adjusting for patient and…

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