How did OR Manager get started? We had an idea and worked to make it happen. This is the story of a small group of 5 women who have built OR Manager over the past 28 years. They include, besides myself (Ellie Schrader), Pat Patterson, Judy Dahle, MS, MSG, RN;…
Attendance set a new record high, and excitement filled Caesars Palace in Las Vegas as perioperative nurse leaders gathered to celebrate 25 years of the OR Manager Conference held October 24 to 26, 2012. At the silver anniversary event, 1242 attendees discussed posters with their presenters, networked with colleagues and…
She recalls it as one of her worst days as an OR director. She was paged to the postanesthesia care unit. When she got there, the surgeon told her there had been a horrible mistake. He had performed a total knee replacement on the wrong side. The surgeon asked if…
A mentor and an advocate for patients and families are qualities that stand out in letters nominating Karen Martin, MS, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, as OR Manager of the Year. Martin, who is director of perioperative services at the Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR), Loveland, Colorado, will be honored at…
The number of nurse practitioners is expected to double by 2025, according to a new report in the July 2012 Medical Care. How many will be perioperative nurses? Advanced practice is a great opportunity for perioperative nursing. Advanced practice RNs (APRNs) are critically needed to serve the nation’s health needs.…
Is your spark flickering? Maybe it’s dimmed in the face of the endless reports, e-mails, and urgent meetings you face every week. The to-do list seems endless. Next week’s priorities are overtaking this week’s, and they all seem to be in the wrong order. Connie Merritt, BSN, RN, PHN, is…
OR efficiencies, accreditation standards, infection prevention, and team training are a few topics of all-day seminars that perioperative leaders can choose from at the OR Manager Conference October 24 to 26 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The conference, celebrating its 25th anniversary, starts on Wednesday, October 24, with 9…
Your OR is starting to bring in new graduates—a practice almost unheard of 15 years ago. You’re finding it’s taking them longer than expected to adjust. Or you’re running into roadblocks in fostering team communication among nurses, physicians, and other staff. Where do you turn? One place to look…
What connects you with your purpose? How do you find that spark that rekindles your passion for nursing? And how can you reignite that spark in your staff? With humor and stories, Rich Bluni, RN, LHRM, leads off the OR Manager Conference with his talk, Inspired Leadership: Reconnecting with…
The patient had come to the OR for joint replacement surgery. Though she had a complicated medical history, there was no reason to believe she would have serious problems. But during the surgery, things went wrong, and despite everyone's efforts, the patient died. It hit the team hard, including the…