To further reduce the risk of medical errors, the management team at WellSpan Health Apple Hill Surgical Center, a multispecialty ASC in York, Pa., identified a need to improve communication, teamwork and...

Big changes to rules on sterile compounding, labeling meds and safer use of medication administration technology are a few key practice updates that will be published electronically this month in AORN’s Guideline for Medication Safety on eGuidelines+....

Like their large-bone-specialist counterparts, surgeons who work on hands, feet, ankles and elbows have a wide array of power tools to use for drilling, sawing, inserting K-wires, reaming and other tasks....

The only proven treatment for treating glaucoma is controlling intraocular eye pressure. However, the range of procedures that can achieve this goal vary in terms of invasiveness as well as patient and surgeon comfort....

Successful wound care is about staying true to the basics. Not every surgical wound will need an antimicrobial dressing or wound vac. But paying special attention to closing every surgical site properly...

It’s a common occurrence in facilities everywhere: A newer nurse or a traveler will come into an OR and notice some slight variations in how the perioperative team is positioning the patient for the case....

With endoscope repair, cost isn’t the only consideration. Providers require consistent, high-quality availability and prompt turnarounds to avoid risks to performance and throughput....

The best way to mitigate risk is to catch it before it happens. That’s the whole idea behind standardizing a surgical checklist — providing constant confirmation to safely ensure the patient’s care....

Jesse Hixson, MSN, RN, CNOR, administrator for the Monroeville (Pa.) Surgery Center, expected orthopedic and cataract surgeons to be extremely discerning and opinionated about the surgical gloves they used....

Even though some minor heart procedures have been taking place in outpatient settings for years, performing more complex same-day cardiovascular interventions is very much in its infancy....

Every profession has its own secret language, but it’s safe to say our workplace jargon is in a class of its own. We have a storied history of mnemonics, acronyms and devices to recall information on a dime....

The old adage, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” feels like it was written specifically for the surgical experience. Whether patients are choosing an elective surgery or in need of emergent surgery...

Accreditation is a crucial element of a successful ASC. It positions a new facility to receive Medicare funding in months, compared to potentially waiting for a year or more to receive certification from your...

It has happened to me throughout my entire career. I’d walk into a different department to see a patient before surgery and be mistaken for a housekeeper, transporter or dietary staff member....

When a number I didn’t recognize lit up my phone’s screen and interrupted the classic Stone Temple Pilots Unplugged concert that had been getting me through yet another dreary November day...

Amy Avila, RN, CCRN, CSC, has a simple suggestion that can help perioperative healthcare workers decompress: Get a little artistic, even if you’re not a natural....

Want a simple way to make sure your staff recycles more? Make sure cans are easily accessible and visible. Knoxville (Tenn.) Orthopaedic Surgery Center utilizes recycling trash cans in its staff lounges...

If your staff always finds itself in need of an open outlet that never seems to exist, here’s a simple fix: Power strips that can be mounted to IV poles, mobile carts and modular workstations...

The staff at Seven Hills ASC & Cath Lab in Henderson, Nev., developed a simple yet effective way to remind their catheter lab patients who...

In 2021, more than 4,000 cases were performed in the ORs at WellSpan Health Apple Hill Surgical Center in York, Pa., and the facility’s nurses and OR assistants pulled numerous individual supplies...