Peers lecturer teaches attendees
to have crucial conversations
Your supervisor degrades you and questions your intelligence. Your peer continues to break safety rules and needs to be confronted. “These are the moments we’re usually so unprepared for,” said Joseph Grenny, best-selling author and presenter of this year’s Jerry G. Peers Lectureship. Our culture has a pervasive sense of propriety, one that often silences those who want to or should be speaking out. Knowing how to have crucial conversations, addressing the right topic in the right way, and creating a sense of safety can ultimately make ORs a healthier and more effective place to work. Read more+

Secrets for teaching
TV generation learners
Speaker and author, Michelle Deck, RN, MEd, BSN, LCCE, FAACE, captured the attention of a multi-generational perioperative nursing audience at her session, "Teaching the MTV Generation." She opened with the question, "How many of you have had the joy and challenge of teaching or working with someone who thought their job was to merely take up space in the chair?" "Ideally, educators may wish to implement the Vulcan mind meld to give their students necessary knowledge with a single touch. The problem is, we're not vulcans, we're humans . . . Read more+

The answers lie in
the questions you ask
John G. Miller started Monday afternoon's General Session "Personal Accountability and the QBQ!" with a humorous tone that ran consistently throughout his presentation. "How are you doing on life's path? Are any of you a finished product?" Miller asked. "If so, please leave, so you don't embarrass the rest of us," . . . Read more+

Nationwide health care needs you!
We’re headed toward a health care system that’s information-rich and patient-focused, predicted Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). She discussed numerous 2008 AHRQ research projects and programs aimed at improving nationwide patient care at Sunday’s General Session, “Transparency, Transformation and Value Creation: New Opportunities for Quality and Patient Safety Improvement.” The catch, she says? “We need your input!” Read more+

Nursing students practice OR techniques








Excitement was in the air as 186 student nurses entered the banquet room—and this was no ordinary banquet room. At Wednesday’s Nursing Student Hands-On Program, sponsored by the US Army, the room was transformed into a simulated OR environment that would enhance the attendees knowledge about specialty of perioperative nursing. Read more+