A few months ago, I operated on a patient with severe nasal polyps —a condition that caused significant discomfort and breathing issues. These polyps were recurrent from...

To help our surgeons find their patients quickly and easily in recovery, we hung a series of color-coded flags on the wall outside each bay. The series of flags are screwed into the wall, allowing us to flip one out as needed....

Many surgical professionals learn best by doing. If you bombard them with information about what to do in the event of a malignant hyperthermia (MH) emergency, but don't...

Healthcare professionals are expected to practice cultural humility and provide patient-centered care to diverse individuals who have different cultural backgrounds than their...

You're on mute." Yeah, I'm that guy on Microsoft Teams. You'd think that after nine months of remote meetings I'd remember to toggle on my mic when it's my turn to speak....

No surgeon wakes up in the morning with the intention of performing a wrong-site surgery and yet these types of never events continue to happen, even with protocols...

If you want to reduce foot traffic in operating rooms — traffic that can lead to increased surgical site infections, distractions, airflow disturbances and decreased efficiency — slide a Do Not Enter sign in laminated holders...

The events of 2020 have changed our nation forever. The struggles and stresses of the past year will also fuel change within surgery, which is poised to become safer,...

Like most surgical leaders, you're probably eager to put 2020 in the rearview mirror and start fresh with next year's initiatives and goals. The problem is, so many surgical staffs...

Administering medications in the eye during cataract surgery helps surgeons perform the procedure safely and promotes post-op healing. Old standbys offer cost-effective...

Postoperative nausea and vomiting is the last thing patients want to deal with when they're recovering from surgery. Waking up in the PACU feeling sick can ruin any good...

The use of continuous nerve blocks to manage post-op pain provides many benefits. Patients require fewer opioids, which lowers their risk of opioid misuse and eliminates...

Let me tell you why Black patients should have access to more Black doctors. Last June, I underwent surgery to remove osteomata (benign tumors) from my forehead and a...

Ten years ago, Jaines Andrades, DNP, AGACNP-CC, was working as a janitor at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. Today, she's caring for patients alongside the...

Portable handheld ultrasound probes that attach to smartphones are one of many tools that make practicing regional anesthesia an easier task, but the probe and the smartphone often gets dirty while in use....

In order to connect with patients and give them an experience that is second to none, we follow a process called FORD (family, occupation, recreation and dreams). It all begins with a staff member's first meeting or phone call...

Great ideas for your OR

Practicing daily gratitude is proven to have significant health and psychological benefits, including improving quality of sleep, lowering depression levels, blood pressure and...

Total joints are a hot specialty and orthopedic vendors want a piece of the action. Leveraging your facility’s current case volumes and the expected explosive growth of...

We’ve developed a sign system to alert staff and physicians about a patient’s risk factors such as allergies, falls, insulin dependence and skin tears. The signs are printed with large, upper-case lettering, laminated and clipped...