This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series features, Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN discussing seven critical indicators for high performing Operating Rooms: “Blocks are meant for high volume surgeons who can fill a room. It should be a “reward” for consistent utilization. Blocks should be utilized at the 85% rate. If physician…
Read MoreAs the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, our healthcare facilities faced a multitude of challenges. Inadequate amounts of PPE, a lack of Covid testing supplies, and ever-changing Covid policies were hurdles that had to be met and overcome as hospitals moved forward in the wake of the pandemic. Join us this week…
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This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series features, Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN discussing common misconceptions around measuring & evaluating surgery turnover times: “While turnover time can provide some measure of efficiency, it is important not to rely on this number alone to determine how well your surgery department is running. In…
Read MoreHow clean is the air in your OR? Is the HEPA filter and the positive pressure of the room enough to protect your patient from contaminants in the air, or is there more to it than meets the eye? Join us in this eye-opening episode as we discuss infection prevention with air expert Dr. Linda…
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This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series features, Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN and Hank Balch, BS, MDiv, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL discussing the critical importance of SPD & OR teamwork: “Much of a facility’s blaming/shaming culture can be tracked back to certain individuals who see it as their mission in life…
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“Where’s my tray?” “How’d you break the scope?” “Why aren’t you precleaning?” “Agh, they messed it up again!” If you’ve worked in the operating room for any amount of time, you know that the relationship between the OR and SPD can be strained. For two departments that so heavily depend upon each other, the relationship…
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This week’s episode of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series features, Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN discussing challenges in pre-operative preparation: “It is one of the great mysteries of life that some offices can have all of the information available days in advance, including the H&P, while others struggle getting it to you before the…
Read MoreThe operating room has a reputation for being a challenging place to work. While many of us enjoy this challenging, fast-paced environment, we know that everything isn’t always perfect. Unfortunately, disruptive behavior in the form of belittling, bullying, or hazing is a common occurrence. Join us on this week’s episode as we tackle this unhealthy,…
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This week’s episode kicks off the initial release of the First Case “Articles On-The-Go” series, which presents perioperative insights from written articles in a creative, easy to listen, audio format. Think audio book, meets busy Operating Room professional! Tune in this week as Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN discusses preoperative patient assessment and inefficiencies: “Every…
Read MoreTaking call and covering call schedules is a demanding task that requires a substantial amount of time and energy for everyone in perioperative services. Front-line staff know the struggle of working long hours on difficult call shifts, while management faces the struggle of working long hours on creating call schedules and finding adequate coverage. And…
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