Leadership 
Today’s chat is with Brian S. Dawson, MSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM, System VP, Perioperative Services, CommonSpirit Health, Denver. Q: What is something that went right at your facility and/or that you are thankful for this year? I couldn’t have asked for anything better this year than how our perioperative council…
Challenging situations have the potential to bring out the best in people. Tom Gronow, EdD, MHA, president and CEO of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), is a prime example of stepping up when faced with adversity. Gronow spoke to OR Manager about his role and journey at UCHealth. He…
This year, the OR Manager Conference is celebrating 35 years of bringing together OR managers and directors and helping the perioperative community educate, learn, and network. Since the early days of this great conference, OR Manager has expanded the agenda and the exhibit floor to include various education offerings, including…
Surgical volume is rising, and the need for perioperative nurses continues to grow. Same-day procedures are becoming more common, even for complex cases such as total joint replacements and spine surgery. With the decrease in in-patient, post-surgical stays and more surgeries being performed in various ambulatory settings, the skillset for…
With all the factors involved in optimizing OR utilization, assigning OR slots is a complex proposition. When you consider that the average cost to run a fully equipped OR is now at approximately $1,000 per hour in staff and equipment costs, it is more important than ever for hospitals to…
Paula Graling, DNP, RN, CNS, CNOR, NEA-BC FAAN, this year’s recipient of the OR Manager of the Year award, is the kind of leader who receives appreciation cards from co-workers saying, “Because of you things get done, things happen on time, and everything is better.” Evidence of her exemplary work…
Electronic health records (EHRs) can be a force for good, promoting patient safety, but they also often have multiple pain points. OR leaders can take steps to ease those pain points. Part 1 of this two-part series provided an overview of EHR challenges and how managers can work with staff…
Compensation has remained relatively flat for leaders in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to the 2022 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey, even as leaders face ongoing stressors. This is reflected in the 40% of respondents who reported a total current annual compensation of $120,000 or more—unchanged from 2021. Ongoing stress is…
The good news from the 2022 OR Manager Salary/Career Survey is that in the wake of lessening disruption from COVID-19 throughout the country, surgical procedure volume has returned to many ORs, with nearly half of respondents (48%) reporting increased volume over the past year, double last year’s findings (26%). The…
A prominent leader in the OR, Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, CCTP, became a nurse in an unexpected way. With no intention of pursing nursing, she saw an opportunity and ran with it. Today, Boston-Leary is an instrumental voice advocating for the well-being and safety of nurses in…
