Proper ergonomics in the OR is about much more than surgeon and staff comfort. It’s about preventing the types of strain-related injuries that lead to lost work time and poor surgical outcomes. That’s why it’s crucial to...

At the onset of the pandemic, people were memorably advised to sing “Happy Birthday” to themselves to ensure they washed their hands long enough to fully disinfect them. At Dayton (Ohio) Eye Surgery Center, where hand hygiene...

Patients never like to be surprised on the day of surgery, especially if that surprise is that they owe money. That is why the staff at Eye 35 ASC in Schertz, Texas, has insurance verifiers call all patients prior to...

When Melissa Arnold, MD, was on maternity leave from Saltzer Health’s North Nampa clinic in Idaho, her colleagues wanted to do something special (and different) to welcome her back. “She had a girl, so we dyed...

David Taylor III, MSN, RN, CNOR, a healthcare executive consultant with the Resolute Advisory Group, worked with staff at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center in San Francisco to design a Gratitude Tree wall mural....

The movement for diversity, equity and inclusion in surgery is particularly vital for the wide variety of patients who visit facilities for care. No matter who a patient may be, or what their background is, they should feel accepted,...

It’s hard to believe that more than two years have passed since healthcare facilities started caring for COVID-19 patients. To remember the triumphs and loss, ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing created...

Does your staff often feel overwhelmed when a big shipment of supplies is dropped off at your facility? All the boxes look the same, making it difficult to determine which shipments have been processed. “In our receiving room,...

A little recognition and positive reinforcement go a long way. At UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, Colo., dedicated auditors reward staff who follow the facility’s hand hygiene protocols with a small bottle...

When pediatric surgeries began ramping up at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, the anesthesia and nursing teams wanted to be sure young patients felt comfortable in their care. “One CRNA mentioned that...

You put a significant amount of time and energy into ensuring staff keep their hands clean. The same should hold true for your patients. It’s best to encourage or even require them to wash or degerm their hands...

Palo Alto Medical Foundation Surgery Center Fremont (Calif.) has devised an effective solution for addressing situations when surgeons are a bit too eager to get to the next case. At the center, patients are asked to arrive earlier...

During the first wave of the pandemic, a colleague of Rebecca Norton, RN, said, “We’re going to do this.” She meant the staff at CentraState Healthcare System’s Ambulatory Surgery Center in Freehold, N.J., would successfully...

Staff at Eye 35 ASC in Schertz, Texas, make sure a team member in each department is always available on a walkie-talkie. The devices — used by pre-op and PACU nurses, surgical team members and runners who turn over...

When New Tampa Surgery Center Nurse Manager Beth Hoy, MSN, RNFA, ON-C, CNOR, scrubs cases, she takes meticulous notes on the techniques and preferences of each surgeon. She turns her notes into surgeon- and case-specific...

The dexterity needed to advance the catheter once you’re in the vein when placing an IV line is a fine motor movement that isn’t commonly used, so it takes plenty of practice to develop. To master the technique, hold a pen like...

Visitor restrictions put in place during the pandemic at Lakeland (Fla.) Surgical & Diagnostic Center made it difficult to keep patient escorts updated on the status of their loved ones’ surgeries. To help keep the lines...

Looking for a fun way to spice up your next staff meeting or in-service? Gather 10 to 20 needle holders that have at least one thing wrong with them — a cracked box lock, chipped insert, loose ratchet — and throw in a couple...

Looking for a creative way to consistently reward your staff’s ideas and efforts and reinforce your company’s core values? Consider an initiative like the “Heart, Brain and Courage Awards,” a daily recognition program created by...

The National Ambulatory Surgery Center in San Jose, Calif., shares a small campus with other medical offices. Last spring, a man barged into the center’s administrative suite, where Marisa Ynchausti, RN, BSN, was working alone....