First Case

01/22/2025

Early bird registration is LIVE on our website!! You can save your virtual seat here: https://educate.beyondclean.net/40JEZiT //

Please make plans to join us for our first virtual education event of 2025 -- 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 + 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗥 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲!

On 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, we're diving into the details that turn our into highly-efficient, high-quality centers of excellence where patients receive top notch surgical care and our staff benefit from working in a forward thinking and planning department.

Tune in to discover the data in the details of:

💻Artificial Intelligence
💻Succession Planning with Predictive Analytics
💻Key Performance Indicators
💻And so much more!

Our full list of topics and speaker line-up will be out soon!

Pre-register today to join in on all the action: https://educate.beyondclean.net/40JEZiT

01/21/2025

Like we heard from Anna Gray in last week's podcast interview (https://educate.beyondclean.net/42opa2m ), documentation tells the story of a patient. By reading a patient’s chart, any provider should have a clear understanding of what is occurring with the patient at all times. We frequently hear stories that highlight the importance of accurate charting.

In malpractice cases, documentation is always a key piece of evidence, and 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝟳𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

For example:
In 2019, a child was brought to the emergency room with vomiting and diarrhea. The child was noted to have some lethargy, so the nurse conducted a physical assessment, including neurological exams, which were negative for deficits. The child was treated for her gastrointestinal issues and discharged with instructions to return if she did not improve. Two days later, the child was brought back with the same complaints but looked better than before. The same nurse cared for the child and again conducted a physical assessment, which once more showed no neurological deficits. The child was admitted for dehydration, and during the course of care, she developed a seizure and respiratory distress. It was later found that the child had a brain tumor.

The child’s parents sued the hospital, claiming malpractice and negligence for not identifying the tumor in the ER. During the trial, evidence was presented of the nurse’s documentation of her assessment findings and the physician’s acknowledgment of these findings. Due to her thorough charting, the lawsuit was dismissed by the courts, as her documentation showed no probable cause for additional radiology testing to rule out a brain disorder. The nurse’s charting won the case for the hospital and protected her from a malpractice suit.

This story is just one example, but there are so many out there, with both good and bad outcomes. And we know, charting can be a pain. Most of us would rather just circulate than deal with the distractions of a computer. But, we also know that charting is crucial to our patient care. Through our charting, we’re telling the story of the OR—a story that often goes untold. We’re providing evidence of what OR nurses really do in those sterile rooms behind closed doors.

01/20/2025

🎉Happy CRNA Week! 🎉

"National CRNA Week is the annual celebration of the nearly 74,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and residents in nurse anesthesiology programs in the United States. CRNAs, who safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics each year, deliver exceptional care to patients who rely on these innovative leaders to protect them during their most vulnerable moments." ( https://educate.beyondclean.net/40lc7vP

We appreciate you, and we're thankful that you're part of our surgical team!

01/20/2025

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3WkGoth // How do we approach sterility and proper technique in ways that prioritize patient safety and best practices? And why does it matter? 🤔

In today's episode, Chris and Melanie are diving into the nitty-gritty details of sterile technique and explaining how there's no room in the Operating Room for "good enough." Tune in to find out 𝘄𝗵𝘆 as we discuss guidelines, best practices, and the common mistakes that have become acceptable by many perioperative professionals. We'll also discuss the critical do's and don'ts of sterile field management, and reveal some of the tips and tricks we've picked up along the way. Tune in now!

01/17/2025

https://educate.beyondclean.net/4gTFtIT // Remember the childhood game of telephone?📞 What started as a funny phrase would get completely twisted by the end, leaving everyone laughing. But in healthcare, miscommunication isn’t funny—it can be dangerous.

In today's blog, Lindsey shares her experience with a communication failure when she was on call.

What about you - have you ever experienced a breakdown in communication? What happened? 🤔

01/16/2025

Hey! Did you hear? 👂Early bird registration is now LIVE! You can save your virtual seat here: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3Wh0xAt //

We're excited to announce that 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 for our first virtual education event of 2025 -- 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 + 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗥 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲!

Join us 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, as we dive into the details that turn our into highly-efficient, high-quality centers of excellence where patients receive top notch surgical care and our staff benefit from working in a forward thinking and planning department.

Tune in to discover the data in the details of:

💻Artificial Intelligence
💻Succession Planning with Predictive Analytics
💻Key Performance Indicators
💻And so much more!

Stay tuned for our full lineup of guest speakers and topics coming soon! Don't miss out -- pre-register today to join in on all the action: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3Wh0xAt

We can’t wait to see you there! 😎

01/15/2025

💻Read today's blog here: https://educate.beyondclean.net/4jaoHGP // According to the American College of Surgeons, nearly 100 operating room (OR) fires occur annually in the United States.🔥 That’s 100 too many. .🔥

In today's blog post, Lindsey discusses how our alcohol-based skin preps are a potent fuel source for fires, and she explains the importance of following the manufacturer's instructions for dry times.

Do you wait the required amount of time after prepping before you start to drape? Or do you go ahead and drape saying, "The prep will be dry before we cut, so draping now is fine." Discover best practice and find out why dry times are so important in today's blog post!

01/14/2025

📣Welcome back to the First Case SPD Quality Improvement Expert Series™ featuring Marcy Konja, Vice President, Sterile Processing Solutions, and Gregg Agoston, Vice President, from SpecialtyCare.

Tune in here: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3DPcIOC

Today, we're going to start defining the variables that tell us what quality is. Obviously, if we know what we're measuring, it's going to be a lot easier to pay attention to them and to build strategies and plans to reach that level of quality! Tune in to discover the four variables that every SPD manager has to work with, and how a shortage in any one area can lean to problems in your facility. Don't miss this important conversation!

❓Have a question or comment for our experts? Connect with Marcy at [email protected] and Gregg at [email protected].

Stay tuned, there’s more to come next month! 🙌

01/13/2025

Early bird registration is now LIVE! 🎉 Save your virtual seat here: https://educate.beyondclean.net/40vk3vF //

📣You're hearing it here first! 📣 We're excited to announce that 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 for our first virtual education event of 2025 -- 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 + 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗥 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲!

Join us 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, as we dive into the details that turn our into highly-efficient, high-quality centers of excellence where patients receive top notch surgical care and our staff benefit from working in a forward thinking and planning department.

Tune in to discover the data in the details of:

💻Artificial Intelligence
💻Succession Planning with Predictive Analytics
💻Key Performance Indicators
💻And so much more!

Stay tuned for our full lineup of guest speakers and topics coming soon! Don't miss out -- pre-register today to join in on all the action: https://educate.beyondclean.net/40vk3vF

We can’t wait to see you there! 😎

01/13/2025

💡https://educate.beyondclean.net/3Wt3LBl 💡

Is charting really that important? 🤔 Joining us today to discuss the vital role that documentation plays in the operating room is Anna Gray, RNFA and Legal Nurse Consultant. From understanding what to document to exploring the connection between nurses’ notes and surgeons’ operative reports, Anna shares her expertise on 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Tune in to hear compelling courtroom examples where documentation made or broke the case, and discover the broader purpose of documentation that goes beyond legal protection. Proper documentation isn’t just a task—it’s a tool for patient safety, supply chain efficiency, and telling the patient’s story. Join us for an insightful discussion about why accurate charting is essential for both patient care and professional practice.

01/10/2025

💡https://educate.beyondclean.net/4h685hC 💡
A new podcast season has begun, and we're spending the entire season evaluating our habits, practices, and firmly-held beliefs and asking "But, why?"

Why is a powerful question, and when we're open to asking the question and allowing others to ask it as well, we make growth and change possible. Find out more about the power of why in today's blog post!

Happy New Year and welcome to Season 14 - an entire season dedicated to asking the question, "why?"In this season, every episode will cover a practice, a habit, or maybe even a sacred cow, and analyze it by asking why. When we address the things that we've always done, and challenge them by asking w...

01/08/2025

[🚨𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 10 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲! https://educate.beyondclean.net/3W6BvUF 🚨] Welcome back to the First Case Video Expert Series™ featuring our Perioperative Instrument Coordination Expert™, Jeff Wertz, President of Surgio Health. In this series, Jeff tackles the critical issues that affect coordination and efficiency in your department and shares actionable steps to help you make meaningful improvements to your workflows.

In today's episode, we’re discussing the importance of including Information Technology (IT) in our discussions as we plan for new technology, new equipment, and uncover how the technology we want has to integrate with our current systems. Tune in as Jeff talks about the IT Factor!

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝗳𝗳? 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝘁: 𝗷𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘇@𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗼.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Stay tuned, there's more to come!

01/07/2025

This weekend, First Case Media will be on the road to Minnesota! We're told it'll be a Minnesota heat wave at a whopping 28 degrees but parkas will be in tow ❄️! Join Healthcare HQ's Linds Brown as she shares her keynote talk on the Preciousness & Renewability of Time from a surgical patient's perspective, along with Melissa Vibberts from Beekley Medical and Sue Bayer, RN from One World Surgery.

When: Saturday, January 11th at 7am-12:30pm CT
Where: Children’s Business Campus 5901 Lincoln Drive, Edina MN 55436 (Parking is Free)
Who: Perioperative Nurses
Vendor Show: YES!
Cost: 3 Contact Hours for $30 (Retired & Students $15)

A huge thank you to Cheryl Langford and Stacy Johnson for putting this great event together for Perioperative Nurses in the Twin Cities.

See you in Minnesota!

(E-mail [email protected] to register.)

01/06/2025

🎧https://educate.beyondclean.net/4iZTuGi 🎧

Welcome to Season 14 of First Case! This season, we’re tackling the question: “𝗕𝘂𝘁, 𝘄𝗵𝘆?” Why do we do the things we do in the OR? 🤔 From practices we swear by to those that might need to be retired, nothing is off-limits as we explore the reasoning, or lack thereof, behind our routines.

In this season premier, Chris and Melanie dive into some of the most common OR habits, rules, and sacred cows, and unpack the “why” behind them. Chris shines a light on the frustrations caused by poor communication, touching on pref cards, supply handling, and the importance of sharing critical information to the entire team. Meanwhile, Melanie challenges the long-standing bouffant and scrub cap debate, breaking down its origins, the changes over time, and whether this rule still holds up to current evidence.

💡Get ready for an engaging, thought-provoking episode that sets the tone for a season full of questioning, learning, and maybe even a little myth-busting. Tune in and let’s uncover the “why” together!

01/03/2025

🎉𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟰 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆! 🎉

How many times have you asked yourself the question, "But... why?" as you've seen policies, practices, and habits that may or may not be in line with the most current guidelines? Chris and Melanie find themselves asking that question often, and now they're bringing the questioning to the podcast!

Tune in as we discuss documentation, double gloving, PPE, infection prevention, and a few sacred cows that just might need to be put out to pasture. Don't miss this exciting season! 𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟲𝘁𝗵!

Get ready for the season premier by downloading our mobile app here! 📲
Apple users: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3BJqBgT
Android users: https://educate.beyondclean.net/3BJqCkX

Or you can subscribe to the podcast through: 💻
Apple Podcasts - https://educate.beyondclean.net/4a59wL5
iHeart Radio - https://educate.beyondclean.net/4a89xh5
Spotify - https://educate.beyondclean.net/4j0bxw0
Stitcher - https://educate.beyondclean.net/4a0xwPn

01/01/2025

Thank you for spending 2024 with us! There are so many places you can go for perioperative education, and we're so thankful that you choose to spend your time with us!

We've got big plans for 2025, so stay tuned, because there's more exciting stuff to come! Here's to another year of learning, growing, and continuing to improve. Happy New Year!🍾

12/30/2024

🎧https://educate.beyondclean.net/3BI4lng 🎧While we wait for Season 14, we're bringing you an audio version of our Perioperative Nurses Week video interview series. Catch up on any interview you missed and travel around the world with us!

How would you like to get a post-graduate degree in Perioperative nursing? In Spain, you can! Today we're traveling to Spain to learn more about perioperative nursing and nursing education from Esther Espunes Mestres. Esther has a great story to share with us, so tune in and learn what it's like to train and be an OR nurse in Spain!

You can also watch the interview on our YouTube Channel! https://educate.beyondclean.net/4gzdWvF