Join Hannah Campbell, program manager for AORN's Surgical Safety Award Programs, in this episode of Periop Talk. Hannah interviews Marci Kling, a perioperative nurse educator at Emerson Health, who spearheaded the hospital's successful initiative to earn the Go Clear Award for smoke evacuation.

Discover how Emerson Health transitioned to a smoke-free environment through grassroots efforts, leadership support, and staff education, leading to significant improvements in patient and staff safety.

Learn More about how you can leverage AORN's Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Smoke Evacuation in your facility: https://www.aorn.org/education/education-for-facilities/surgical-safety-center-of-excellence/go-clear-awards

This evidence-based program is made possible by Medtronic through the AORN Foundation.

Support the show

Welcome to the Periop Talk—your go-to podcast series where we examine the world of perioperative nursing.

Episode after episode, we're bringing you professional tips, clinical wisdom, and personal stories that'll make you feel like you're chatting with your work BFFs.

Curious about the latest surgical techniques? We got you. Wondering how to navigate the challenges of the periop journey? We're here for that too.

Our podcast series isn't just about sharing information; it's about building a community. Meet the people behind the masks, hear their journeys, and join the rotation of periop professionals making a difference. From students and new nurses to seasoned pros, we've got content for every stage of your perioperative practice.

Periop Talk is your peek behind the red line to the world of perioperative nursing. It's not just about the OR – it's about the heart and soul of healthcare. Let's scrub in and start making surgery safer, one podcast at a time.

Want us at: (1) Periop Talk vlog - YouTube

In this inspiring episode, we speak with Jill O'Connor, Nurse Manager for L&D and Mother-Baby at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital, and Tracey Young, Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist at UPMC, about how they leveraged AORN’s Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: RSI Prevention award program to transform surgical safety in their organizations.

Through the program’s structured framework, they implemented targeted education, new technologies, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, and embedded best practices into daily workflows. Their journey showcases how their passion for safety combined with COE designation can be a catalyst for culture change, empowering teams to reduce risks of RSIs and elevate patient care.

Learn More about how you can leverage AORN's Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: RSI Prevention in your facility: https://www.aorn.org/education/education-for-facilities/surgical-safety-center-of-excellence/retained-surgical-items-rsi

This evidence-based program is made possible by Stryker through the AORN Foundation.

Support the show

Welcome to the Periop Talk—your go-to podcast series where we examine the world of perioperative nursing.

Episode after episode, we're bringing you professional tips, clinical wisdom, and personal stories that'll make you feel like you're chatting with your work BFFs.

Curious about the latest surgical techniques? We got you. Wondering how to navigate the challenges of the periop journey? We're here for that too.

Our podcast series isn't just about sharing information; it's about building a community. Meet the people behind the masks, hear their journeys, and join the rotation of periop professionals making a difference. From students and new nurses to seasoned pros, we've got content for every stage of your perioperative practice.

Periop Talk is your peek behind the red line to the world of perioperative nursing. It's not just about the OR – it's about the heart and soul of healthcare. Let's scrub in and start making surgery safer, one podcast at a time.

Want us at: (1) Periop Talk vlog - YouTube

Maintaining the sterility of surgical instruments is paramount to preventing infections and ensuring patient safety. AORN's updated guideline on packaging for sterilization provides crucial guidance for perioperative teams, addressing key concerns and promoting best practices for selecting, using, and maintaining packaging systems.

Addressing Critical Issues in Packaging for Sterilization

AORN periodically reviews and updates its guidelines to reflect current evidence and best practices. This update focuses on several critical areas:

• Packaging Defects: The guideline emphasizes the importance of minimizing packaging defects that can compromise sterility.
  
• Personnel Discomfort:Recognizing the ergonomic challenges faced by sterile processing professionals, the guideline addresses strategies to create a more comfortable and safe work environment.
  
  
• Quality of Pouches and Wraps: The guideline stresses the importance of inspecting single-use wraps and filters for defects before use.
  
  
• Streamlining Instrument Sets: The guideline encourages optimizing instrument sets to eliminate unnecessary instruments, streamlining processes, and potentially saving time and resources.

Packaging for Sterilization Guideline Changes and Enhancements:

• Ergonomic Considerations: The guideline emphasizes creating an ergonomic work environment for sterile processing professionals, including comfortable work surface heights, adjustable seating, adequate space for assembling trays, proper lighting, noise reduction, and anti-fatigue mats.
  
  
• Inspection of Wraps and Filters: The guideline reinforces the importance of inspecting all single-use wraps and filters for defects before assembling instrument sets.
  
  
• Streamlining Instrument Sets: New recommendations encourage facilities to streamline instrument sets by identifying and removing infrequently used instruments. This can improve efficiency and reduce costs.
  
  
• Pouch Use and Technique: The guideline provides detailed recommendations for using peel pouches (paper/plastic), including proper sizing, sealing techniques, and inspection of seals for gaps, folds, bubbles, or wrinkles.
  
  
• Heat Sealer Maintenance: The guideline emphasizes the importance of using heat sealers according to the manufacturer's instructions, ensuring correct temperature settings for different materials, and maintaining equipment for optimal performance.

Support the show

Welcome to the Periop Talk—your go-to podcast series where we examine the world of perioperative nursing.

Episode after episode, we're bringing you professional tips, clinical wisdom, and personal stories that'll make you feel like you're chatting with your work BFFs.

Curious about the latest surgical techniques? We got you. Wondering how to navigate the challenges of the periop journey? We're here for that too.

Our podcast series isn't just about sharing information; it's about building a community. Meet the people behind the masks, hear their journeys, and join the rotation of periop professionals making a difference. From students and new nurses to seasoned pros, we've got content for every stage of your perioperative practice.

Periop Talk is your peek behind the red line to the world of perioperative nursing. It's not just about the OR – it's about the heart and soul of healthcare. Let's scrub in and start making surgery safer, one podcast at a time.

Want us at: (1) Periop Talk vlog - YouTube