Many OR directors struggle with designing effective nurse compensation systems. The ideal system would achieve department goals while maintaining nurse satisfaction. Unfortunately, a compensation plan that links these 2 objectives is often elusive. In 2012, OR leadership at a small Pennsylvania hospital developed a compensation system that effectively aligns nursing…

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Among the tools and procedures intended to increase efficiencies and reduce errors in the OR are time-outs and checklists, which have become a standard practice during many surgical procedures. Vicki Hess, MS, RN, CSP, believes these same tools can be used to promote engagement and decrease stress among those working…

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Nurse turnover is a problem that affects the performance and profitability of every health care organization. The cost of a nurse leaving a facility is roughly twice that nurse’s annual salary while a replacement is sought and orientation is completed. In addition, patient care may be compromised because the temporary…

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On-call requirements in perioperative services can be a barrier to recruiting younger RNs and in retaining older nurses. Covering the daily surgical schedule with fatigued staff who have worked during the night can be a safety issue or a staffing issue if the call team is too tired to work…

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A heavy call schedule at one community hospital was driving the perioperative staff away and raising concerns about patient safety because of staff fatigue. With a staff turnover rate of 40% in 2007, the perioperative management team knew changes were needed. Since then, a new staffing model has almost eliminated…

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A float position that combines the duties of a surgical technologist (ST) and a central service (CS) technician creates closer ties between the OR and CS departments and improved morale in CS for a 400-bed community hospital. “These have been independent workforces, but they are highly related,” says Brian Whorley,…

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Nearly two-thirds (60%) of employees who leave a position do so because of their relationship with their direct supervisor, according to the Studer Group, a health care consulting organization. “Satisfaction is about relationship,” says Marcus Erb, senior research partner at the Great Place to Work Institute, which helps organizations become…

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The average age of a perioperative nurse is higher than the average of 47 for nurses overall. That makes retaining older nurses a critical need for OR managers. The immediate problem has subsided in recent years because of the poor economy. Still, “We’re concerned that as soon as the economy…

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