OR staffing holds steady while ground shifts in healthcare delivery
In the face of a changing healthcare landscape, staffing levels are stable, according to the 24th annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Nearly two-thirds of respondents say staff turnover and the number of open RN and surgical technologist (ST) positions have stayed the same in the past year. When those positions…
Onus on OR managers to scope out competency of endoscopy staff
Recent highly publicized outbreaks of infections linked to improper reprocessing of flexible endoscopes have raised concerns about infection prevention in gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures. Because of the headlines, legislatures are hearing from their constituents that they are fearful of being exposed to infections, and legislatures are getting involved. The Society of…
Morale boosters can make your hospital a desirable place to work
Google is the best company in America to work for, according to Fortune Magazine. Thousands of smart, creative individuals want to work there, not only for perks like nap rooms and free food, but also because of Google’s reputation for supportive management, effective communication, and rewards for a job well…
Changes in nurses' pay structure solve staffing and scheduling problems
Many OR directors struggle with designing effective nurse compensation systems. The ideal system would achieve department goals while maintaining nurse satisfaction. Unfortunately, a compensation plan that links these 2 objectives is often elusive. In 2012, OR leadership at a small Pennsylvania hospital developed a compensation system that effectively aligns nursing…
Train, sustain, retain: Targeted recruitment reduces hospital openings from 50 to 0
What would you do if you had more than 50 open positions and 40 travel nurses in your OR? If you were part of the team at University of Virginia Medical Center (UVAMC) in Charlottesville, you would get busy recruiting and retaining staff. “We knew we couldn’t continue down that…
Innovative nurse training program bolsters interest in OR career
Like most OR leaders, Doug Robinson, BSN, RN, CNOR, manager of the Roberts Operating Rooms at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, wants a steady supply of OR nurses. Robinson has reached back to his own student experience to develop a program that gives students OR exposure, with the intent…
Survey finds staffing patterns stable but positions hard to fill
A sluggish economy continues to drive OR staffing, according to the 23rd annual OR Manager Salary/Career Survey. Although economic growth in the US has ticked slightly upward, 70% of respondents say the economy affected their OR staffing in the past 6 months, comparable to 68% last year and 69% in…
High labor expenses? Better staffing and scheduling can cut costs
OR Business Performance is a series intended to help OR managers and directors improve the success of their business. The OR labor budget usually takes a back seat to supplies and equipment. But labor costs can still create significant spending problems. Many hospital surgery departments use nursing full-time equivalents…
New staffing structure builds on success of specialty team model
Less than a year after adopting a “college structure” model akin to that of specialty teams, the UF & Shands Academic Health Center in Gainesville, Florida, is close to achieving a goal of 100% on-time starts. “We track first-case start times, and a report goes out every morning, so we’ll…
Synergies are flowing from combined ST, CS role
A float position that combines the duties of a surgical technologist (ST) and a central service (CS) technician creates closer ties between the OR and CS departments and improved morale in CS for a 400-bed community hospital. “These have been independent workforces, but they are highly related,” says Brian Whorley,…
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