R.T.

Last year, our hospita finally made the transition for recruitment to retention of employees. I have worked at the facility for 9 years. The facility still has a long way to go. For nurse's week, they had a catered dinner for 4 nights. Nurses from all departments were invited to attend. Each night nurses were placed in drawings for various prizes (dvd player, gift certificate for 2 day pass to a spa with paid leave, and grand proze of a 4 day Caribbean cruise with extra vacation time.) I know the nursing staff really enjoyed it. The had motivational speakers. This year, we are not sure of the plans, but are anticipating another dinner. Just the thought of being appreciated helps. I work in the OR, and we gave out door prizes and also had a cake. We also do the same for Perioperative Nurse's week. We have pizza parties every 4 months and we do include the evening shift. We sincerely try to convey how much we appreciate the nurses for their hard work and dedication .

I am the clinical manager of Surgical Services in a 26 bed OR. We are having extreme difficulty with maintaining scrub clothes for the staff to wear. Everywhere you turn in the hospital and outside, someone is wearing scrub clothes. In an effort to stop this abuse, we are considering using security badges for entrance into the locker rooms and also using scrub clothes vending machines. I guess I would like to see for those who work in a facility that uses the vending machines, their opinion. Is it easy to use? What are the pros and cons to using this type of system versus stocking multiple pairs on a shelf? How much space does this take up? Do you put in a user code to get scrubs? What stops individuals who are not supposed to wear scrubs from getting them out of the machine?

I work as a clinical manager in an 26 bed OR. I have been in management for the past 3 years. I have worked at this facility for 9 years. I started as a LPN in the scrub role in surgery, went back to school to get RN degree and after circulating for 3 years, was given the opportunity to lead my co-workers. I am a hands on manager. I still scrub and circulate. Just recently during a bad snow storm, I pulled a double shift to let my staff leave during the bad weather. I fight for their rights, we have committees where managers chair, but do not make any suggestions. We facilitate the group to keep them focused on the problem and to find a solution that is good for the department as well as the hospital. I feel I am a mediator. I mediate for patient's rights, staff benefits and better work environment, and mediate for the hospital for a cost effective solution to keep the hospital open, successful, but a place where nurses would be proud to work. I never realized the stress and how unprepared I was for this job. The management courses in nursing school do not prepare you for a role in management. I make mistakes, apologize to the staff, do everything in my power to see I do not make it again, have an open door policy for any staff person to vent or complain in my office. I try to enable my staff to think about possible solutions and not just complain. I work with managers who are polar opposites. They are controlling, demanding, and have run good nurses off. I have felt ashamed to be classified in the same category as a manager at times. My role is expanding and I am spending less time in the OR rooms, but my staff know where my heart is. It is right there with the patient doing everything to make the OR team successful.

We have 26 OR rooms, and nurses are not required to be ACLS or PALS certified in the OR. The hospital pays .10 an hour for each certification, and we do about 3 IV conscious sedation cases a year. The nurses who are ACLS or PALS certified do not feel comfortable in that role because of the lack of use. We have CRNA'a and Anesthesiologists present on typically 99.9% of cases. I am now the Clinical Manager for the OR and when I was ACLS certified, always felt uncomfortable when assigned to give IV conscious sedation. I usually did 1 case a year and did not have time to sit with the CRNA or MD and watch and learn to be confortable in that role. I do not require my nurses to put their licenses on the line when we have staff (CRNA's) who are trained and use that skill everyday.

I am a Nurse manager in the OR in Tennessee. We do have Nurse Anesthesists (known as CRNA's ) in my facility. Actually, we have 38. They typically give 95% of all anesthesia. Our Anesthesiologists supervise the CRNA's and during traumas, difficult intubations, and pediatric cases, actually stay in the room with the CRNA's and help during the case. We have 1 RN and 1 tech/LPN in the room also. We use LPN (licensed practical nurses) to scrub also. I have been in a facility which did not have CRNA's and found the Anesthesiologist to be more needy and moody than the surgeon. I prefer working with CRNA's. They typically do not have inflated egos. Hope this clears up a little. Actually, I have a question. What is the going rate for a Rn in the operating theater in Australia. I have been told it is 22.00 (australian dollars). I have considered traveling to the land of OZ for 1 year, but there was too many questions and no one seemed to have any answers.

New Clinical OR Manager looking for information on staffing software. I currently am using pencil/paper method of scheduling staff. It has been done this way for the past 14 years. It takes about 12 hours to schedule all specialties and meet minimum requirements of number of staff at specified hours throughout the day. I am looking at purchasing software that is easy to use but thorough. Any information will be helpful.