In the operating room, we use the phrase “patient safety” an awful lot – for good reason, too. Everything we do hinges on providing our patients with a safe surgical experience. We confirm their identity, surgical site, and laterality multiple times before rolling back, we position them for their procedures in ways least likely to… Read More Effective Communication: The Foundation of Patient Safety
When I first started in the operating room, I had heard of surgical techs, but I didn’t know what their job actually involved. But, it only took me about 2 seconds to realize that scrub techs were a wealth of knowledge and experience, and if I was going to succeed in the OR, I was… Read More Happy Scrub Tech Week! +Giveaway!
This post contains affiliate links How do you feel about taking call? Do you love it or hate it? I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who doesn’t have a strong opinion about it. But for most surgical facilities, taking call is just part of the job. We don’t always love it, but we also… Read More Managing Call Schedules – There’s a Better Way
My very first post when I started this blog was called “10 Things I Learned in the Operating Room.“ It probably wasn’t my most well-written post – I’ve learned so much since I started this blog 3 years ago. But, with the anniversary of The Circulating Life approaching, I thought it would be fun to… Read More 11 More Things I Learned in the OR
A few months ago, I posted this graphic to my Facebook page: In general, I was expecting comments like, “Keep your belly button clean!” or “Never come back to the room with one of anything – always bring two!” And, yes, there were plenty of comments like that, but… I also got an overwhelming number… Read More The Truth About Bad Behavior in the OR
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a fun (and safe) time celebrating the end of 2020. I enjoyed a great evening with my family and I’m definitely looking forward to a better and brighter 2021. As we start off the new year, I am so excited to finally be able to tell you… Read More Introducing First Case – A New Podcast for the OR
2020 has been anything but normal, hasn’t it? “Normal” seems to be a thing of the past, and it seems that every day presents new challenges and new changes to the ways that we care for our patients. We’ve dealt with frequent policy changes, reassignments (sometimes without adequate training), inadequate PPE, constant supply shortages, and… Read More You Must Make Yourself a Priority
Happy Perioperative Nurses’ Week! I hope that this has been a week full of recognition and appreciation for all of your hard work and dedication. In honor of the unique nature of our jobs, I’ve written a lighthearted poem about O.R. nurses. I chose to write it in the style of Dr. Seuess – since… Read More Happy Perioperative Nurses’ Week!
Orientation in the Operating Room (OR) is tough. There’s no other way to put it. The days are hard and the environment is overwhelming. You can be reduced to tears without warning due to frustration, anxiety, fear, attitudes of others, or just the sheer amount of information you’re expected to take in. And in such… Read More How to Survive an Intense Orientation in the OR
How well we manage our time in the O.R. will ultimately determine the entire surgical experience for our patients, for our surgeons, and for ourselves. … Read More Keeping Time in Perspective in the O.R.