Creating a harmonious work environment can only be achieved through effective leadership that discourages conflict and negativity. “Ditching the drama, restoring sanity to the workplace, and turning excuses into results” is how Cy Wakeman, MS, BSW, describes her leadership philosophy. “Circumstances are not the reasons we can’t succeed—they are the…
Traditionally, nursing students have had little exposure to the perioperative setting, creating a challenge for OR leaders seeking to build the future workforce. How can they spark interest in the OR, if students haven’t experienced it? One way is for hospitals to partner with schools of nursing. Two innovative programs…
Editor's Note New studies of census, earnings, and retirement data show that women’s career paths are more closely mirroring men’s, including an increasing tendency to work full-time into their 60 and 70s, the February 11 New York Times reports. About 30% of women aged 65 to 69 are working, which…
Editor's Note This meta-analysis found that the overall rate of attrition among general surgery residents was 18%, and that the most common causes of attrition were uncontrollable lifestyle and choosing to join another specialty. Of 19,821 general surgery residents involved in the analysis, attrition was significantly higher for females compared…
High staff engagement contributes to the success of an organization, but OR managers are finding it tough to engage their staffs, given the multitude of changes in healthcare and stressors in the OR. In the final article of this three-part series, OR Manager examines the challenge of staff engagement, along…
Standing out from the competition in any industry requires the use of effective marketing tactics. In the case of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), these tactics can be divided into physician referral, recruitment, and retention; online; and internal and external marketing. Here is a closer look at each of these. (For…
Editor's Note Nurse managers who provide support and communication through transformational and transactional leadership styles have a positive impact on staff nurse work engagement and can improve organizational outcomes, this study finds. A total of 441 staff nurses working in three acute care hospitals were surveyed. Transactional and transformational leadership…
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…
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…
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…