Monthly Archives: June 2025

Clinical Governance, Healthcare Technology, Perioperative Education, Professional Development, Surgical Best Practice

📚 Why Time and Education Matter in Instilling Best Practice

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Embedding best practices into clinical skills requires deliberate time investment, structured education, and ongoing reinforcement. Research indicates that:

  • 🔍 Deliberate practice over time improves clinical performance.
    Ericsson et al.’s seminal work on skill acquisition demonstrates that expert performance arises from structured, repetitive practice—not merely experience. In surgical settings, this entails building skills through repeated exposure to procedural norms, instrument setup, and workflow protocols.
    (Ericsson KA et al., 1993. Psychological Review)

  • 🕒 Operating rooms are complex environments with high cognitive demands.
    A prospective observational study by GĂśras et al. (2019) found that surgical teams performed an average of 64 tasks per hour, with nearly half involving communication. Multitasking accounted for 48.2% of the time, and interruptions occurred at a rate of 3.0 per hour, predominantly due to equipment issues. These findings highlight the necessity for structured education and time allocation to manage the complexities of the OR effectively.
    (GĂśras C et al., 2019. BMJ Open)

  • 🧠 Simulation and structured education improve retention of best practices.
    A study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that OR team members who engaged in simulation-based education were more likely to adhere to best practice protocols, such as surgical safety checklists and aseptic setup techniques.
    (Barsuk JH et al., 2009. J Am Coll Surg)

  • 📈 Structured learning platforms help consolidate complex clinical knowledge.
    Digital tools that reinforce policy-based workflows (like ACORN, AORN, AFPP) assist learners in absorbing, applying, and reflecting on clinical procedures in real-time. Platforms like ScrubUp bridge the gap between formal education and day-to-day clinical needs.

Final Thought (Updated):

By investing time in education and reinforcing evidence-based standards, we don’t just teach a skill—we nurture clinical judgment, adaptability, and professionalism. Whether it’s the first surgical tray setup or a case pivot under pressure, clinicians trained with time and structure are best equipped to deliver safe, efficient care.

References:

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1993-40718-001

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31097486/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19667306/

Operating Room Efficiency, Perioperative Practice

“Operating Room Time Is Precious: Here’s Why Every Minute Counts”

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⏱️ Every Minute Matters: The True Cost of Surgical Time

 

In the operating room, time is more than just a metric — it’s a matter of cost, safety, and care. Every additional minute a patient spends under anesthesia increases the financial burden on healthcare systems and escalates the risk of complications. Whether it’s a delay due to missing instruments or a scheduling backlog, the consequences of lost OR time are profound.

💰 The Financial Toll of Operating Room Time

 

Research estimates that each minute of operating room time costs between $15 and $100. A U.S. hospital survey reported an average OR charge of $62 per minute, with high-complexity surgeries topping $133/minute. That means a 10-minute delay could cost up to $1,000 — money lost on idle staff, extended prep, or inefficient scheduling.

Hospitals absorb these costs in the form of overtime wages, surgical backlogs, and reduced daily throughput. One U.S. health system lost 631 hours of OR time and nearly $390,000 annually due to late starts for the first case of the day.

⚠️ Time and Patient Safety Are Inseparable

 

The longer a patient is on the operating table, the higher their risk of harm. Compelling data supports this:

  • Surgical complication risk increases by 14% for every 30 extra minutes in the OR.

  • Surgical site infections rise by 13% for every additional 15 minutes.

  • When surgeries exceed 2 hours, the risk of adverse events nearly doubles.

Extended surgical duration not only affects clinical outcomes but also contributes to longer recovery stays, increased bed blockages, and greater pressure on postoperative teams.

🚨 The Ripple Effect of Delay

 

Delays in the OR don’t just affect one case — they cascade across the entire surgical schedule. Late starts, case overruns, and equipment errors result in:

  • Cancelled surgeries, extending waitlists and frustrating patients.

  • Overtime labor, straining budgets and causing staff burnout.

  • Reduced surgical throughput, which means fewer patients treated each day.

Hospitals aiming to optimize their workflow must treat OR time as the limited, high-value resource it is.

✅ ScrubUp: Optimizing Every Surgical Minute

 

This is where ScrubUp steps in. ScrubUp is a digital platform built to support surgical teams with real-time preparation, streamlined equipment checklists, and surgeon preference tracking. By ensuring all surgical setup details are documented, shared, and ready ahead of time, ScrubUp eliminates the most common delays.

Because in the OR, the loss of one minute can mean the loss of a life or a limb.

Healthcare Education

Are You an Expert in Your Surgical Specialty? The Power of Tracking and Reflective Practice

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Introduction

In the dynamic environment of the operating room (OR), achieving expertise isn’t solely about time spent—it’s about deliberate practice, consistent reflection, and continuous learning. Roles such as Instrument Nurse, Circulator Nurse, Surgical Technologist, and Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) are pivotal, each requiring a unique blend of technical skill, clinical judgment, and experiential knowledge.

But how does one measure progress and move from competence to mastery?

The Journey to Surgical Expertise

Becoming proficient in surgical roles typically involves formal education and extensive clinical exposure. For instance, surgical technologists and nurses often complete programs combining academic study with hands-on training. However, true expertise is cultivated over years of performing, adapting, and reflecting within diverse surgical settings.

Tracking the number and variety of surgical cases handled provides tangible evidence of experience. This strengthens professional credibility, enhances clinical reasoning, and builds the confidence essential to anticipate complications and respond under pressure.

The Role of Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is a cornerstone of professional development in healthcare. It involves critically analyzing one’s clinical experiences to foster growth and improve outcomes. Evidence from NSW Health and other research institutions shows that reflective practice enhances learning, improves critical thinking, and leads to safer, more patient-centered care.

In the OR, reflective practice helps clinicians—whether they’re acting as the circulator, scrub nurse, ODP, or technologist—understand the rationale behind actions, refine processes, and collaborate more effectively as a team.

ScrubUp: Empowering Surgical Professionals

ScrubUp supports surgical professionals by offering tools to log and reflect on every procedure, by role. With ScrubUp, users can:

  • ✅ Log and categorize cases by role (Instrument Nurse, Circulator Nurse, Surgical Technologist, or ODP), procedure, and complexity

  • ✅ Track growth over time, identifying strengths and skill gaps

  • ✅ Document reflections and key learnings after each procedure

  • ✅ Generate insights and reports to support credentialing or career development

By facilitating case tracking and reflective practice, ScrubUp turns day-to-day work into measurable professional progress.

Are You Tracking Your Surgical Experience?

If you’re not logging your surgical cases or reflecting on your experience, you may be overlooking a critical tool for growth. Ask yourself:

  • 🧐 How many cases have I supported in my role—circulating, scrubbing, or assisting?

  • 📈 What have I learned from those experiences?

  • 🚀 Where could I focus to further build expertise?

Rather than simply expecting surgical staff to “do the job,” healthcare facilities must enable and protect time for reflection, learning, and documentation. These moments are not extras—they are essential components of safe, expert practice and team improvement.

ScrubUp empowers this process, giving perioperative professionals an intuitive way to track progress, reflect on procedures, and build credibility in their surgical specialty.

Conclusion

Expertise in the OR isn’t accidental—it’s built through exposure, repetition, reflection, and a drive to improve. Whether you’re a Circulator Nurse, Instrument Nurse, ODP, or Surgical Technologist, ScrubUp empowers you to track, reflect, and grow.

Start your journey toward surgical mastery today.
🔗 www.scrubupapp.com

Hospital Efficiency, Operating Room Workflow, Perioperative Nursing, Surgical Technology

Meeting Surgical Demands: How ScrubUp Reduces Delays, Waste, and Costs in the OR

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Meeting the Demands of Surgery: The Case for Smarter OR Preparation

 

In the high-stakes environment of the operating room, every minute has a cost—and not just clinical, but financial. Research shows that circulating nurses spend up to 26.3% of surgery time outside the OR, often to retrieve forgotten or missing items.

 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919118305338

This has a direct impact on:

  • ⏱ Surgical time (increased case duration)

  • 💸 Hospital costs (staff time, anesthesia, wasted resources)

  • 🔁 Workflow disruptions that affect safety and team focus

The Root Problem: Lack of Preoperative Clarity

 

The study found that the most common reason for surgical supply waste is the anticipation of the surgeon’s needs—nurses opening equipment that goes unused. Circulators frequently leave the OR due to:

  • Incomplete case carts

  • Unexpected surgeon requests

  • Equipment shortages or confusion

This reactive approach costs time, money, and morale.

The Solution: ScrubUp Software

 

ScrubUp is a software platform designed by a peri-operative nurse to tackle exactly these issues. It gives surgical teams access to procedure-specific intelligence before they even step into the room.

With ScrubUp, circulating nurses and techs can:
✅ See exactly which instruments and trays are needed
✅ Review special equipment or hardware preferences
✅ Understand the setup and surgical sequence
✅ Reduce the chance of mid-case supply runs

What’s the Impact?

 

  • Less time lost during surgery

  • Fewer retrievals = lower intra-operative stress

  • More accurate supply use = less waste

  • Faster, more predictable turnover = better scheduling

  • Improved confidence = better team performance

And ultimately—lower costs and better outcomes.

Final Word

 

In today’s healthcare climate, hospitals can’t afford inefficiency. Let’s support perio-perative teams with the data they need to succeed—not just for safety, but for time and cost savings.

Because every minute matters.

Clinical Best Practices, Education, Education & Training, Infection Prevention, Operating Room, Operating Room Education, OR Nursing, Perioperative Education, Skin Antisepsis, Surgical Nursing

Reducing SSIs Through Best Practice Skin Preparation: What Every OR Nurse Should Know

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Best Practice for Surgical Skin Preparation: Reducing the Risk of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs)

Surgical skin preparation is one of the most critical steps in preventing Surgical Site Infections (SSIs)—a complication that not only affects patient recovery but places a significant financial burden on healthcare systems worldwide.

🦠 Why Surgical Site Infections Matter

SSIs are among the most common types of healthcare-associated infections and can occur in up to 5% of surgical procedures. Their consequences extend beyond the immediate surgical outcome:

  • In Australia, SSIs add an average $18,814 to the direct cost of treatment per patient.

  • In the United States, SSIs cost the healthcare system $3.3 to $10 billion annually.

  • A single infection following a hip or knee replacement can add $12,689 USD in direct costs.

  • SSIs significantly prolong hospital stays, often requiring readmission, further tests, and additional treatment.

Given the clinical and economic impact, preventing SSIs is not only a patient safety priority—it’s a healthcare imperative.

🧼 What Is Surgical Skin Preparation?

Surgical skin preparation involves cleansing the skin at and around the surgical site to reduce the microbial count to the lowest possible level. The goal is to create a sterile field that minimizes the risk of microbial contamination during the procedure.

Key Principles of Best Practice:

  • Clean to Dirty: Begin at the cleanest area—typically the planned incision site—and work outward in concentric circles or squares.

  • No Double Dipping: Use a fresh swab for each pass. Never return a used applicator to the antiseptic solution.

  • Wide Coverage: Prep a generous area to accommodate any extension of the surgical incision.

  • High-Risk Zones Prepped Last: Areas such as the groin, umbilicus, open wounds, stomas, orifices should be cleaned last and with separate sponges.

  • Reverse Technique for Contaminated Areas: For high-risk zones, start at the cleaner periphery and move inward to the more contaminated center.

The AORN (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses) recommends selecting an alcohol-based prepping agent based on the anatomical location and patient assessment. Alcohol-based preps should not be used near mucosa, eyes, or ears. Iodine-based alternatives are safer in such cases.

📊 Why It’s Done This Way – The Evidence Behind the Method

The technique of prepping from clean to dirty and using separate applicators for contaminated zones is designed to:

  • Prevent cross-contamination within the sterile field.

  • Maintain the lowest possible bacterial load at the incision site.

  • Ensure compliance with infection control standards such as those outlined by AORN, ACORN, and WHO guidelines.

👩‍⚕️ Educating the Next Generation of Perioperative Professionals

Understanding why and how we perform surgical skin preparation is critical for novice operating room staff. Proper technique supports not only patient safety, but also team trust, procedure efficiency, and hospital sustainability.

Visual guides help reinforce learning by showing the correct prepping zones and motion patterns for various surgical sites.

📷 

✅ Final Thoughts

Following best practice in surgical skin preparation isn’t just a procedural checklist item—it’s a frontline defense against infection. When done correctly, it protects patients, reduces complications, and ensures that the operating team upholds the highest standards of care.

Stay vigilant, prep with purpose, and lead with best practice.

Alcohol Based-Prep, Education, Education & Training, OR Nursing, Skin Antisepsis, Surgical Fire Risk, Surgical Prep Tools

Alcohol-Based Surgical Prep Safety: Best Practices for OR Nurses, Techs & ODP’s.

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Introduction

 

Alcohol-based surgical prep safety is critical in modern operating rooms and alcohol-based surgical skin preps are a cornerstone of infection control, offering rapid and reliable antimicrobial action. But with their benefits comes a critical risk: fire hazards. For operating room nurses and surgical technologists, understanding how to safely use these solutions is essential to protect patients and prevent harm.

 

Why Alcohol-Based Preps Are Standard

 

Alcohol is fast-acting, dries quickly, and kills a broad spectrum of pathogens. It’s commonly combined with chlorhexidine or iodine, making it a go-to for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs). The CDC and WHO both support alcohol-based solutions as a best practice for surgical skin antisepsis. However, it’s extremely flammable. Vapors can ignite when exposed to electrocautery devices or lasers, turning a routine prep into a dangerous situation if not properly managed.

 

The Fire Triangle in the OR

 

Most surgical fires involve these three elements:
– Fuel: Alcohol-based prep
– Ignition: Electrosurgical devices or fiber-optic cables
– Oxidizer: Supplemental oxygen
Over 600 surgical fires are reported annually in the U.S., often due to improper skin prep protocols (ECRI Institute).

 

Best Practices for Alcohol-Based Surgical Prep Safety

 

1. Apply Carefully
Avoid excess pooling, especially around skin folds, hair, or under the patient.

2. Use Safer Application Tools
Products like BD Bard’s ChloraPrep with Tint, help standardize application and reduce risks. ChloraPrep with Tint is a single-use, prefilled applicator containing 2% chlorhexidine gluconate and 70% isopropyl alcohol. Its design supports even application and minimizes pooling, helping reduce fire risk while improving efficiency. ChloraPrep’s built-in safety features include controlled delivery and foam-tipped applicators, making it easier to ensure consistent coverage and drying.

3. Let It Dry
Wait at least 3 minutes for full evaporation. Never drape or activate devices until the prep is dry.

4. Avoid Vapor Traps
Ensure drapes do not seal off wet or moist areas. Allow for ventilation around the surgical site.

5. Communicate with the Team
Clearly announce when alcohol prep is used. Pause to confirm the site is dry before any ignition source is used and pooling is minimized.

6. Train and Audit
Conduct regular education sessions and fire risk drills. Ongoing competency supports safety culture in the OR.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Surgical prep is the foundation of a safe procedure. As OR nurses and techs, your diligence during this phase not only reduces infection risk—it can also save lives. With the support of standardized tools like ChloraPrep, you can perform effective antisepsis with added confidence and control.

 

 

References

  1. Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). Guideline for skin antisepsis. 2023.
    2. ECRI Institute. Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2023.
    3. CDC. Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection. 2017.
    4. BD. ChloraPrep™ Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation. https://www.bd.com/en-au/products-and-solutions/products/product-page.m.ChloraPrep