Human trafficking (HT) is a global public health crisis and one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises that grosses hundreds of billions of dollars annually, all of which are tax-free profits made off the sale of human cargo. And yet, research shows the problem is poorly understood or recognized among…

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Perioperative leaders face mounting pressures to optimize resources, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. However, one challenge stands out among the rest: OR staffing shortages. According to a November/December survey conducted by LeanTaaS in collaboration with OR Manager, staff recruitment and retention is a top priority for OR leaders this…

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Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events.   These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…

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Editor's Note Finalists have been announced for the OR Manager awards, an annual program that shines a well-deserved spotlight on the visionary nurse leaders tasked with optimizing workflows, building cohesive teams, and relentlessly advocating for the safety of surgical patients in fast-paced perioperative environments.   The three awards—OR Manager of…

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Editor's Note A recent study conducted across 185 hospital wards in England highlights the significant impact of nurse staffing levels and staff composition on patient mortality. Published August 19 in JAMA, the study analyzed data from over 626,000 hospital admissions between 2015 and 2020. It found that low staffing levels…

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Editor's Note Evidence is mounting for the use of antibiotics as a valid alternative to surgery for acute appendicitis, including in pediatric cases, the Washington Post reported August 17. The article details how this treatment—described as a “dark secret” by one expert testifying to its use in the 1950s, prior…

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Editor's Note The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, according to a CNN article published a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned about increasing activity for seasonal respiratory virus parvovirus B19. WHO issued the emergency…

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Editor's Note Optimizing patient positioning can help reduce the risk of surgical site infections due to airborne contaminants in positive-pressure ORs, according to a study published August 12 in Nature: Scientific Reports. Maintaining higher pressure than adjacent spaces prevents entry of contaminants from environments external to the OR. For this…

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Editor's Note A CMS citation for immediate jeopardy this past June allegedly resulted in the cancellation of nearly 1,000 surgeries at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California, according to a July 30 article in Becker’s ASC Review. Citing a July 26 letter from California Assemblymen Heath Flora and Juan Alanis…

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Editor's Note Automated surgical video analysis could enhance evaluation of an OR team’s nontechnical skills, according to a study published July 31 in JAMA Network Open. Conducted between January 2021 and May 2022, the cross-sectional study involved 30 cardiovascular surgical teams at a teaching hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Using OpenPose,…

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