Surgical volume rising along with staff vacancies, survey shows
OR leaders continue to face increases in volume and staffing mobility, according to the 2016 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. The volume of surgical procedures in the past 12 months increased for slightly more than half of respondents (51%), compared to 43% in 2015. In terms of staffing, respondents noted…
Higher staff turnover correlates with volume increase at ASCs
As surgical volume increases, staffing challenges are trending slightly upward for OR leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), with increases in open positions and turnover, according to the 2016 annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. More than half of respondents (56%) reported higher surgical volumes during the past 12 months, significantly…
High competency levels promote ASC staff and patient satisfaction
Leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) know a competent staff is essential for optimal patient outcomes and financial well-being, but competing pressures sometimes relegate competency assessment to completing a checklist to meet regulatory requirements. Unfortunately, this approach can result in missed opportunities. “Competency assessment helps promote safe care and quality…
Creativity holds keys to competency assessment
How can leaders of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) ensure they have a competent staff? First, they must hire staff with the right skill sets, and then they should implement meaningful methods for ongoing assessment. Here are some strategies for meeting these goals. Begin with the hiring process “When you…
Process improvements raise SPD standards and quality
When audits revealed areas of deficit in the sterile processing departments (SPDs) of the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, leaders pulled together a team to help implement a quality improvement plan. By analyzing and standardizing their processes, creating auditing tools, and educating staff, they significantly increased quality scores throughout…
Wearable technology brings both benefits and risks to the OR
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…
Secure apps loop in families during surgery
How do OR leaders enhance family members’ satisfaction with the communication they receive when their loved ones are in surgery? Thanks to advances in technology, many are turning to tools like mobile apps and text messaging. At Memorial Medical Center (MMC) in Springfield, Illinois, Lexanne Darwent, BSN, RN, helped implement…
OR competency programs boost staff loyalty and productivity
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…
New assessment tool ready to help prevent pressure ulcers
After a 10-year journey, Cassendra Munro’s Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale for Perioperative Patients (Munro Scale) is available for use in the perioperative setting and has been added to the AORN Prevention of Pressure Ulcers Tool Kit. “It is the most comprehensive risk assessment tool available for use by the…
Same-day discharge attracts droves of total joint patients
Orthopedic services are evolving. Total joint patients are younger and healthier, the technology has improved, and procedures are moving to the ambulatory setting. The desire for same-day discharge has raised the bar for provider performance and increased competition among facilities that are adding total joints to their service lines. Younger…
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