Left sniffling and sneezing after a whirlwind 4 days at my first AORN Global Surgical Conference and Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, I had more on my mind than whether the term “conference-acquired infection (CAI)” was officially part of the medical nomenclature, much less whether any studies had been done. I…
Approximately one in 31 hospital patients has at least one infection on any given day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In surgical settings, the risk is even higher, with up to 7% of patients developing an infection during surgery. These infections can lead to a…
Editor's Note Reducing surgeon manipulation of electronic health record (EHR) OR scheduling systems can improve efficiency, save resources, and enhance service to patients, according to data published in the March/April issue of the Journal of Healthcare Management. Although predictive models using EHR and machine learning improve accuracy compared to traditional…
Editor's Note The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last Tuesday morning could impact the shipment of medical supplies, according to healthcare leaders quoted in a March 17 report in Chief Healthcare Executive. “Currently, any healthcare provider using a distributor in the area will likely face some impact, including…
Takeaways OR leaders have experienced financial gains over the past 9 years, but not enough to keep up with inflation in recent years. Capital and operating budget responsibilities have increased over the past 6 years. Since 2015, OR leaders have consistently been most satisfied with their current job, but much…
Editor's Note Dedicated smoke evacuators reduce the number of particles and levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde in surgical smoke during laparotomy, according to a study published online October 25, 2023 and in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons The randomized, double-blind clinical trial…
Takeaways • Perioperative business managers can make significant contributions to a hospital’s financial health, but more than half of hospitals do not have this role. • Business managers’ earnings have increased in the past 5 years, while the number of direct reports has risen slightly. • The bachelor’s degree has…
Compensation is trending slightly higher for ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders, according to the 2023 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, with 68% of respondents reporting a total annual compensation of $120,000 or more, up from 50% in 2022 and 40% in 2021. However, higher wages are unlikely to sufficiently offset the…
Editor's Note This study from nurse researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham identifies factors associated with span of control in nursing management, which encompasses the complexities of the nurse manager’s role in acute care settings. Data from 22 peer-reviewed articles were included in the analysis. Principal findings include:…
Editor's Note A Gallup poll—State of the Global Workplace 2023—released June 13, finds that worker stress is at a record high worldwide. Key findings include: 59% are “quiet quitting” (ie, not engaged) 18% are” loud quitting” (ie, actively disengaged but still working) 44% experience “a lot” of stress at work…