Periop management data—
make sure it's actually useful
By George E. Brandon
News editor/writer
The introduction of information technology (IT) into their workplaces has empowered perioperative managers to compile and keep track of a wealth of operations data. But the question is, "How useful is that data?" As more and more IT-driven systems appear in the OR, it's critical for managers to ensure that databases they feed are set up to make it easy to retrieve the data managers actually need to ensure an efficient, safe working environment.
Mary McHugh, RN, PhD, BC, dean and a professor or nursing of the University of Indianapolis (Indiana) School of Nursing and a former head of a university nursing informatics master's degree program, lists the following types of data that can help nurse managers stay on top of their responsibilities:
- Personnel management information. With labor representing the largest single cost component in perioperative operations, this area is critical. Managers need licensure verification data from state licensing boards to back up hiring and recruitment of RNs, LPNs and surgical technologists, as well as information about complaints filed with state boards. Personnel databases also should contain job candidates' references, summaries of interviews with staff, pre-employment test results and criminal background check reports. And don't forget to Google candidates and check for myspace.com profile information.
For existing staff, essential data include records of new hires' orientation programs, their skill sets and preceptors' evaluations. In addition to normal scheduling records, keep track of nurses assigned to "difficult" surgeons, their call assignments, vacation/personal days requested and granted, educational benefits provided and individual's work preferences. Keep track of your efforts to recognize their good work: employees of the month, "Thank You" cards, etc. You don't want to forget to recognize each employee at least once a year. - Quality monitoring and improvement data. This process data helps managers ensure the highest quality of safe patient care. Are prophylactic antibiotics administered at the right time? Incident reports should detail events such as patients' histories and physical reports not being on the chart, items missing from the OR cart for specific procedures, wrong counts, wrong medications or noncompliance with Time Out procedures.
- Supplies and equipment control data. Keep track of the times that specific items run short during specific procedures, as well as items that aren't used by specific surgical teams. Document vendor representatives' access to perioperative areas and staff, including any adverse incidents involving vendor reps. Any equipment damage or malfunctions should be documented and recorded, including the vendor's response and the personnel and surgical procedure related to the damage or malfunction. This data can help with future decisions about needed team training, as well as with future purchases.
- Financial planning, management data. Managers' number-crunching data includes monthly financial reports from their facilities' administration—budgets, actual operating and equipment costs, capital budget costs, profit/loss reports and relevant overhead costs assigned to periop. In preparing your perioperative budget, it's a big help to obtain national data available from AORN and any data from affiliated hospitals or treatment centers for comparison's sake.
This article was developed from a presentation McHugh led during AORN's Informatics in Action conference in Denver last October. This year's conference again is scheduled for Denver Sept. 18-20.