First Case Podcast

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 procedure. But there’s more to laser use and safety than just eye protection, although that is very important. Joining us...

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 leadership positions. She recently stepped back into the role of a staff nurse, and brought her leadership perspec...

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 sterile field. In this exclusive interview, we discuss the common practices and misconceptions about c...

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 so that our trays are accurate and so that unused instruments are removed. "By optimi...

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 wrong. On today’s episode of First Case, we’re talking all things preference cards with Dr. Lenita Williamson, MD, CEO & Founder of ProcedureCard, Inc. We’ll talk about the common problems, how changes should be made, who sho...

Have you ever opened a tray and thought, “What happened to my instruments?!” Despite being a frustration, instruments that are damaged, broken, or have any staining or pitting can ultimately cause harm to our patients. We’re talking all things instruments today with Michael Matthews, Director of Customer Training and Education at Agiliti. Do you know why saline damages instruments? Do you know why spraying enzymatic cleaner on your...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In it she draws an interesting parallel between what she noticed in a hair salon and how we should be treating new grads in our own department. 

"New grads are eager to learn. When we're willing to bring them into the environment, or department, that they want to work in, and then we take the time ...

How many times do you touch the privacy curtains in the pre-op or PACU? How many times per day do you think those curtains get touched? Do you know how clean they are, or how often they get changed out? In today’s conversation with Karen Goelst, Founder and CEO at KleenEdge, we’re talking about high-touch surfaces, how they correlate to hospital acquired infections, and the downstream consequences of design. We’ll also look at what...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN. In it he offers practical suggestions that can make procedure day more efficient and cost effective.  

If you have trouble getting your first cases of the day started on time, then you don't want to miss Paul's 4 key areas of opportunity that will help improve those on-time starts! 

-------

Articles On-the-Go...

The operating room isn’t just a place where patients have surgery. It’s also a business. And behind the scenes of that business is an OR Business Manager, working hard to maximize efficiencies and reimbursements. They understand how business data, contracts, and productivity are connected, and how that information translates into the operating room. Joining us in discussing this important role is Paul Rhodes, RN, Perioperative Cons...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In it she discusses something that has become so engrained in us as healthcare professionals, that we might not even realize that it exists. 

"Think about it: we work in a high-stakes, high-risk environment. One mistake could cost a patient their lives, or cost us our license and careers. There really ...

Does augmented intelligence (AI) have a place in the operating room? Can AI help deliver patient services and improve the delivery of healthcare? We’re asking these questions and more on today’s episode of First Case as we talk to Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, Member of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association. We’ll discuss the challenges associated with using AI, the regulatory pathways including FDA regulations, and ...

It’s very hard to tell that a micro instrument is damaged, until it’s seen underneath a microscope – then the damage is immediately obvious. Micro instruments require special care and handling to protect them and to prevent damage. On today’s episode, we’re talking all things micro with Terry Harrell, Director of Sales at Synovis Micro Companies Alliance. Tune in as Terry shares what the OR needs to know about micro instruments, ho...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In it she discusses her experience with a Joint Commission survey, and shares 4 helpful tips to decrease any anxiety you may have about speaking with a surveyor. 

Tune in to hear Melanie's advice and increase your confidence when answering questions during a survey!

-------

Articles On-the-Go presents ...

What’s it like for patients around the world who need surgery? What access do they have to medical care? Joining us today is Dr. Michael Redler, MD, an orthopedic surgeon on the Physician Leadership Board of One World Surgery. He has been involved with medical missions for many years, and he's sharing his experiences with us today! Tune in as we discuss how medical missions benefits underserved communities, how it changes the l...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN. In it he discusses the different factors that affect productivity in the operating room. 

"One of the greatest challenges to matching productivity standards and achieving a benchmark is ensuring that you are including and excluding similar roles within the department."

Tune in to learn more about productivity...

There’s generally a transactional relationship between the OR and SPD. The SPD gives, and the OR takes. And that relationship is usually hindered with break downs in communication and a lack of respect – from both sides of the autoclave. We’re discussing ways to improve that relationship today with Brian Dolan, MHSA, CMRP, CRCST, CHVAP, LSSGB, VP of Resource Management at Bayhealth Medical Center in Dover, DE. Tune in as Brian disc...

Does your current staffing model account for succession planning? Are you prepared for loss in your department from resignation, promotion, or retirement? Continuing our discussion on predictive analytics in staffing, and now in succession planning, is Jason Goodwin, MPH, MSN, RN, CEO of Innovative Cultures, LLC. Tune in as he shares how he improved succession planning within his own department through predictive analytics, learn h...

Neuro can be a little overwhelming, and if it’s not your regular service line, scrubbing those cases can really make you nervous. Joining us today to share her experience in Neuro and to help make the service seem a little less daunting is Alyssa Bittel, CST. Alyssa has been a surgical tech for ten years in a Level 1 Trauma Center in Central New York, and she loves all things Neuro. Tune in to hear the challenges of working in Neur...