Editor's Note The Joint Commission on August 12 released its sentinel event statistics for the first half of 2020. From January 1 through June 30, the Joint Commission reviewed 437 sentinel events. The most frequently reported events were in the following categories: Care management, 165 Surgical or invasive procedures, 131…

Read More

Spikes in coronavirus cases starting in late June threatened to overwhelm hospitals in several states. Utah is one such state, but steps previously taken at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City suggest the 23-hospital system will be able to manage a surge. Leaders at Inova Health System in Falls Church,…

Read More

Staffing to a block duration can be inefficient. Uncontrolled variables such as increased case complexity and unexpected staff absences can cause chaos. Leaders from Penn Medicine—Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia used data analytics to measure the efficiency of matching staffing against an optimized OR schedule, which allowed them to predict staffing…

Read More

Anyone who attends the OR Manager Conference can expect a rich educational experience that will help them be better leaders. In-depth preconference workshops, breakout sessions, and opportunities to explore the latest technology are tailored to provide solutions to the problems all OR managers face. The conference typically ends on a…

Read More

For decades, the OR Manager Conference has been a highlight of the year. This year, in the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will offer a welcome change of scene, fresh perspectives, and valuable insights for OR nurse leaders at all stages of their careers. The conference currently is…

Read More

Recruiting and retaining OR nurses is harder than ever in the COVID-19 era. Many healthcare facilities are reconstructing their surgical case schedules after the mandatory pause in elective procedures, and some are still on hold. OR leaders are focused largely on guiding staff through the crisis and working toward a…

Read More

Editor's Note Current research shows that unhealthy lifestyle choices, including smoking and lack of exercise, along with emotional stressors like social isolation and interpersonal conflicts are important risk factors for developing upper respiratory infections, and it is possible these same factors increase the risk of contracting COVID-19, researchers from Carnegie…

Read More

Editor's Note Cleveland Clinic researchers have found a significant increase in patients with stress cardiomyopathy during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the study, cardiologists examined 1,914 patients coming to the Cleveland Clinic with heart symptoms between March 1 and April 30 and compared them with patients in four time periods before…

Read More

Editor's Note In a nationwide survey that assessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emotional wellbeing of adults, 90% of respondents reported experiencing emotional distress. The survey of 1,500 adults found that: 80% were frustrated with not being able to do what they normally enjoy doing 80% were…

Read More

Bullying and incivility have long been pervasive in healthcare, particularly in nursing. Additional stressors related to COVID-19 have worsened things in many facilities. “When there’s a crisis, we see the best in people and the worst,” says Renee Thompson, DNP, RN, CSP. “On social media, we’re seeing a lot of…

Read More