Editor's Note Virtual reality is making training more immersive for nurses at SSM Health St Mary’s Hospital in Janesville, Wisconsin, according to a September 11 article in GazetteXtra. Although a first for St Mary’s, virtual reality has already been adopted by other SSM Health facilities, the outlet reports. Donning googles…

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Editor's Note Simple, non-judgmental interactions with therapy dogs could offer a valuable tool in combatting the widespread burnout seen across the healthcare industry. That’s according to a September 16 EurekAlert! news release detailing a study highlighting the emotional support benefits of therapy dogs for not only patients, but also the healthcare…

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Editor's Note A new report by Mercer projects a national surplus of 30,000 nurses by 2028, but significant shortages will remain in some states and rural areas where healthcare access is already limited, according to a September 15 report in MedCity News.  For example, New York is projected to face…

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Editor's Note Confusion about the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) prompted The California Department of Public Health to update guidelines for acute care hospitals, MedPage Today reported September 18. Issued after violations at two Modesto hospitals resulted in hundreds of cancelled surgeries, a letter from the…

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Editor's Note Capacity issues persist within the anesthesia workforce, leaving perioperative leaders tasked with maintaining efficient operations and safe practices for patients through surgery. We spoke with leaders from SCA Health, Stormont Vail Health, and Heartland Anesthesia & Consulting to find out other challenges anesthesia providers are facing, and how…

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Editor's Note The U.S. healthcare sector is projected to experience a shortage of 100,000 workers by 2028, according to an August 29 report by Mercer. This shortfall is expected to affect key roles such as nursing assistants, nurse practitioners, and specialized primary care physicians. Nursing assistants are projected to have…

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Editor's Note Data from Fitch Ratings indicates hospital wage inflation is “leveling off,” Becker’s Hospital Review reported September 9, calling the report “good news” amid continued payroll increases and labor shortages. According to Becker's, key takeaways of the data include: Year-over-year average hourly earnings growth for hospital employees dropped 3%…

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Editor’s Note Bob Winandy, MSN, MBA, RN, CEO of Brightside Surgical, Brightside Specialty Clinics, and Infinity Medical Management, LLC, shared insights on innovative practices for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) at last year’s OR Manager Conference. With nearly 20 years of experience in surgical services, he emphasized the importance of flexibility,…

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Every year, OR Manager shines a light on staffing issues via the Salary/Career Survey. In this issue, two articles take a careful look at the career and profile of the perioperative leader in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Next month, two more articles will do the same with salary trends…

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Takeaways • Surgical volume continues to increase for most organizations. • Staffing remains a challenge, although some parameters, such as recruiting and turnover, have improved slightly. • Filling an open RN position takes an average of 77 days, and filling a surgical technologist position takes an average of 120 days.…

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