Our PACU staff used to ask that question a lot because we didn't have a designated place to put them. When patients handed over their glasses in pre-op, we'd affix...

In addition to marking the correct surgery site, we always place patients' ID and allergy wristbands on the side thier surgeries will be performed. It's a simple safety check that...

Surgeries can be splashy, messy affairs. Floor-based fluid management mats and pads are a more effective and economical option than throwing blankets, towels or...

The sun was shining on a warm March day as I walked across the parking lot of my son's school. Hours earlier, the governor of Pennsylvania had called off classes to help...

One of outpatient surgery's hottest specialties is fueling the rise of spinal anesthesia. "Before we performed total joints in surgery centers, we hadn't utilized spinal anestesia...

The patient came in for a cystoscopy, a common outpatient procedure that only requires a person to be on the table for about 25 minutes. But the procedure does...

The coronavirus has ground outpatient surgeries to a halt. As the nationwide response to the outbreak enters its second month, every possible healthcare resource is being...

Patient satisfaction surveys and comments from providers trying to communicate with patients indicated that the ambient noise in our small pre/post-operative area was...

Kenneth Levin, MD, was performing his fourth big abdominal case of the day when his neck and back suddenly froze. "The PA looked at me, and I looked at her, and she knew...

Ohthalmology has a long history of innovation, and we're fortunate to have access to several cutting-edge treatments that reduce pain and inflammation after cataract...

Looking for a better way to organize your inventory of frozen tissue grafts? To improve efficiency when preparing for a case, we developed a system that involves placing...

When surveyors come knocking, the worst thing you can do is keep them waiting while you scramble around searching to find the documents they asked to see. That's why...

From late physicians to cases going longer than expected, you can't control the many factors that lead to lengthy, frustrating surgical delays. But you can control how well...

We use a free game app (kahoot.com) to turn ho-hum staff meetings into fun, interactive learning sessions. It's easy to input a series of multiple choice or true-false...

Humidity levels in your ORs should be between 30% and 60%, a range that can be difficult to maintain. That's why I had our HVAC company install a computer program...

Behind Closed Doors: Full Moon Fever; I'm convinced Nurse Luna is to blame for odd OR occurrences.

The sterile processing department is not an easy place to work. If you want to make sure new sterile processing techs mesh well with the current team and...

Hillrom says its Welch Allyn Spot Vital Signs 4400 device combines a wide breadth of functionality with time-saving efficiency. The device captures temperature,...

Don't Sweat Accreditation Surveys; Planning and practice will have you prepared instead of panicked when surveyors come calling.

Healthier Eating Is Within Reach; Patients who optimize their pre-op nutrition are rewarded with better outcomes.