Archives: Episode

“But I’ve got block time!” insisted the surgeon. “I’m sorry, but your block time was released yesterday and another surgeon has now posted cases in that spot,” said the OR scheduler…. Sound familiar? We seem to have conversations like this frequently. How can we make sure that our policies around block time are well-defined and…

In this week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series, written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN, he evaluates the Pre-Admission Testing department, and explains ways to improve efficiency. “Finding ways to make it easier for the RNs in Pre-Admission Testing to collect information and improving efficiency within this department will reduce cost and…

Can technology make you safer? How do we find the balance between natural and artificial intelligence and how do we collaborate between both of them? Helping us answer these questions today is Dr. Peter Kim, MD, pediatric surgeon and founder of Activ Surgical. Tune in to learn about the current state of surgery, why surgery…

How many times have you been sent to look for items that have been recalled? How much time did you have to spend digging through bins, looking on shelves, or reading box labels? It can be a very time-consuming, frustrating process. On today’s episode of First Case, we’re talking all about medical device recalls with…

In this week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series, written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN, he discusses what factors should be considered when determining whether or not to allow a surgeon to flip rooms. “One of the most important variables is how many cases can be done in a day, and how…

Have you ever heard, “I don’t need to wear laser safety goggles, I’m wearing glasses,” or, “If the surgeon isn’t going to wear the goggles, I don’t have to, either.” While not always the best fashion statement, laser safety goggles are always the best choice for eye protection when lasers are being used during a…

What’s is like to leave a position in perioperative leadership and go back to working as an OR circulator? If you ask Dr. Jessica Gruendler, DNP, RN-BC, CNOR, CPHQ, it’s wonderful! Jessica began her career in the operating room as a surgical tech, earned her nursing degree, and spent the last 20 years in perioperative…

Should sterile fields be covered? What do the guidelines say? How can you cover them safely? Tune in to this exciting First Case Vendor Spotlight with Laurel Stebbins, Clinical Specialist at TIDI Products, to get the answers to these questions and more! Sterile-Z is the only product on the market designed specifically to cover the…

When was the last time your surgical instrument tray “recipes” were revised? Was it when you added something new? What about when an instrument is removed? In this week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series, written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN, he discusses how our trays and count sheets should be optimized…

(Between Season 9 & 10, we’re re-releasing some of our most popular interviews from Season 4!) How many times have you been burned because you set up based on what the preference card said? We’ve all done it, and we’re all a little leery of trusting our preference cards, because we expect them to be…