The surgical nurse had a substance use disorder, went to rehab for treatment and was in long-term recovery. All seemed well, but she was surrounded by temptation...

Our facility’s satisfaction surveys revealed low scores and negative comments in reference to the quality of our communication with patients and their family...

Surgery can be scary for anyone, but especially so for the littlest of patients. That’s why we provide kids with crayons and surgery-specific coloring books....

Last month at OR Excellence in New Orleans, attendees packed the conference’s main presentation hall for an open forum discussion about ways to improve...

Endophthalmitis, an infection involving the entire eye, is a rare complication of invasive procedures such as cataract surgery and intravitreal injections. Post-cataract...

One of our staff members noticed that we're always touching our ID badges, and that pre- and post-op staff touch their stethoscopes, and even the time clock to punch...

Well, that was a blast. A record number of top surgical leaders from across the country gathered in the Big Easy for 3 days packed with presentations by national experts,...

Kids driving themselves to the OR in motorized cars isn’t new, but creating a road for them to follow and letting them dress up as superheroes on the way...

The Joint Commission and the National Fire Protection Association guidelines say flammable preps must be allowed enough time to dry after application, pooled solution...

Mental health is often overlooked or not talked about because people are ashamed of sharing how they feel, or afraid of what others might think if they ask for help....

Many educators will tell you that students retain information better when learning is enjoyable and interactive. We put that idea into practice this year at our...

My recent study showed that music can be just as effective as midazolam in calming patients' nerves before they receive peripheral nerve blocks. Based on those...

Patient-centered care is one of surgery's hottest buzzwords for a reason. The patients who walk into your facility expect excellent surgical care. That much is a given....

The essential elements of proper endoscope care begin well before the notoriously difficult-to-clean devices are ready for high-level disinfection. The following protocols...

Let's face it, there are so many aspects of life in the OR that are downright frightening. From the spooky and shadowy to the gross and ghoulish, we nurses know all about...

When we experienced an uncharacteristic increase in SSIs starting in August 2018 — 9 infections over the next 6 months — we assumed the spike was related to opening...

Medication errors are all too frequent in the OR. A recent observational study identified an error in 5.3% of all anesthesia medication administrations — roughly 1 of every 20...

Complex cataracts are becoming more common as increasing numbers of patients show up for surgery with risk factors for poor pupil dilation — uveitis, diabetes,...

We're sticklers about ensuring staff wash or sanitize their hands before and after each patient contact. We use a secret code word, "Mango," to inform forgetful or...

How long has it been since you last heard about the importance of limiting the use of opioids to manage post-op pain. A few months since your last national...