If you could make a change in your OR, what would you do?

[mhy12784]

So this kind of is for school in a way so I'm throwing that out there. I actually have to come up with a project research it, plan it, budget it, and if I'm lucky implement it one day. And I can literally do anything at all (as long as I can support that it's viable and justifiable) So I'm purely looking for ideas here

If you can change anything about your OR either implent a new process, change or create a policy or even an entirely new job position what would you do/want? Something that improves employee satisfaction, patient quality decreases costs/wasted time all of the above etc etc

This is a project I'd be working on for maybe 6 months or so for grad school so I'm not planning on getting anything done overnight or expecting "someone to do my assignment for me". Was just hoping for a little help brainstorming from folks who have far more experience than I do.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

My facility recently did a Lean Six Sigma, only they went too far with it in cutting staff (no one actually fired, but as positions were vacated, they weren't filled)- now, people can't take vacations because there's not enough staff, people are calling off anyway because, hey, everyone needs some time away from the job, and more people are leaving in droves. It's not a unit with good morale. So maybe something about balancing the need to cut waste with maintaining staff satisfaction?

[mhy12784]

Lol a lean six sigma project was one of the idea I had in mind

My hospital has very very little experience with that stuff, and I always found it interesting and figured this would he a good way to get my feet wet with it

[Loves2scrub]

If I could wave a magic wand, and change anything about the OR I work in, it would be how cases are scheduled. I work in a cardio-thoracic OR with 6 surgeons. Cases are boarded inconsistently. By that I mean, have a ton of cases on one day, and none the next.

It is hard to schedule the correct number of staff on any given day. I work 12 hours of overtime one day, and then am sent home low census the next. It is a big source of discontentment for the staff, not to mention, a big drain on the budget due to overtime being paid out.

When we are busy, we do not have enough nurses, but when we are slow, we have too many. Due to the fluctuations, Management says the numbers do not justify hiring more people.

I feel like if cases were spread out more throughout the week, I would have less days of no lunch during the busy times, and cases to do during the slower times, instead of flexing off when I can't afford it.

I realise not every case is elective, and some things you cannot plan for. However, I think if we better managed the cases that are scheduled weeks in advance, the day would go smoother in the OR.

[Windyhill, BSN]

Bigger rooms for all of the laparascopic equipment, Im starting to hate Gyn procedures because of falling over all of the equipment.

[arack05]

Bigger rooms for all of the laparascopic equipment, Im starting to hate Gyn procedures because of falling over all of the equipment.

Not to get all philosophical or anything, but is the problem the rooms arent big enough, or that there is too much clutter and or equipment in the way?

By focusing on the right problem, you might be able to better find the right solution

[citylights89, BSN, RN]

I feel like we really need to emphasize teamwork. It's not just the nurse who is responsible for everything. We ALL are. I'm not sure how that can be fixed, though. That's more of a workplace culture thing.

But really, we need more staff.