Archives: Episode

Every day, we push, pull, lift, and strain to position our patients for their procedures. We routinely tuck arms with draw sheets to allow practitioners closer access to the surgical field, but the products and the methods we use to pad and protect our patients don’t always provide the protection we would like them to….

Tape, gel rolls, foam, and a whole lot of pushing and pulling usually go into positioning our patients for surgery. Silk tape is our best friend! But, are we positioning patients the safest way for their procedure, and do our current positioning practices help prevent injury? On today’s episode of First Case, we’re going to…

We’ve all had rough days in the operating room. Days where it seems nothing is going right, everyone’s angry, and there’s not enough staff to cover every shift. But it isn’t always that way. In this article written by First Case co-host, Melanie Perry, tune in to the ways we can use the good experiences…

How often do you hear about productivity in your department? How is that productivity determined? Or maybe, you’re just wondering, “What IS productivity?” If it seems confusing or mysterious, you’re not alone! We’re going to break it all down for you today as we interview our very own First Case co-host, Paul Wafer. With 40+…

This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series is written by, Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN co-host of the First Case podcast and founder of Alpha Consulting Group, Inc. where he talks about common leadership errors he has seen over decades of perioperative consulting: “I am still learning new things, and I carry…

How do supplies get to your OR? Who makes sure that the products you need end up on the shelf? The Materials Management department is a crucial part of every facility, and they play a vital role in ensuring that we have all of the supplies that we need. In today’s interview with Garry Skinner,…

This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series is written by Melanie Perry, RN, BSN, CNOR co-host of the First Case podcast and founder of The Circulating Life where she outlines the keys to nailing your next pre-op interview: “Conducting a fantastic pre-op interview will come naturally with practice and repetition. By breaking…

Are your preference cards accurate? Can you depend on them if you’re working with an unfamiliar surgeon? We’re going to tackle the pref card issue on today’s episode of First Case! Joining us is Dan Pfister, President and Consultant at United Pathways, Inc. Tune in as he offers his insight into the benefits of a…

This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series is written by Melanie Perry, RN, BSN, CNOR co-host of the First Case podcast and founder of The Circulating Life where she reminds frontline healthcare workers of the critical importance of self-care: “In a year that’s been so demanding, and brought so many challenges, we…

How often do we hear complaints about instruments that aren’t working properly? When instruments are broken, we tag them for repair, but what happens to them after that? Instrument repair specialist Angelia Limberios, CST, CRCST, joins us on this episode of First Case to talk about that process. As an experienced surgical tech, Angelia brings…