All Episodes
First Case Podcast — 363 episodes
Silo-Free Surgery: Beyond the Bundle: What IPs Need to See Before, During, and After Surgery
Silo-Free Surgery: Say It, Don't Delay It: Speaking Up to Prevent Surgical Site Infections
Silo-Free Surgery: PATOS Without the Panic: Understanding "Present at Time of Surgery" in SSI Surveillance
The Right Fit: Protection That Goes Beyond the Glove
Silo-Free Surgery: Why Are We Talking About IFUs?
Silo-Free Surgery: Are ASC's Really the Wild West?
Silo-Free Surgery: Have We Gone Nose Blind?
Silo-Free Surgery: What SSI Risk Keeps You Up at Night?
Silo-Free Surgery: Where Is the Smoking Gun?
Passing the Mic: Celebrating Melanie Perry's Impact on First Case
Sterile Processing 101: When Things Go Wrong
Sterile Processing 101: Storage, Shelf Life, and Event-Related Sterility
Sterile Processing 101: Reading the Tray - Indicators, Tape, Filters, and What They Actually Mean
Sterile Processing 101: Sterilization Methods Explained - Steam, Low-Temp, & IUSS
Sterile Processing 101: Inspection & Assembly - The Art of Building a Reliable Tray
Sterile Processing 101: Decontam Deep Dive - What Happens After The Case Cart Leaves the Room
Sterile Processing 101: Point of Use Treatment - The OR's Role in Sterile Processing
Sterile Processing 101: From Dirty to Sterile - The Instrument Reprocessing Lifecycle
The Hidden World of Biofilm: Exploring the Dangers Lurking in our Instruments
Top 10: General Surgery
Microbes in Motion: Understanding Pathogen Transfer & Environmental Contamination
Ensuring Scope Safety: Preventing Infection Through Proper Cleaning, Care, & Data Collection
Top 10: Organ Procurement and Transplant
Mistakes in Infection Prevention: What's Hindering Your Infection Prevention Program?
Improving Outcomes: Infection Prevention in the CVOR
Top 10: Trauma Surgery
Operation Collaboration: Clinical Coordinators - The Glue That Holds It All Together
Top 10: Pediatric Surgery
Operation Collaboration: Vendor Reps - Partners in Surgical Care
Operation Collaboration: Facilities - The Infrastructure of Safe Patient Care
My Journey Into Perioperative Nursing
Operation Collaboration: Pharmacy - Medication Safety in Motion
Operation Collaboration: The Lab - Partners in Precision
Operation Collaboration: Sterile Processing - The Foundation of Surgical Readiness
Scope of Innovation: Single-Use Solutions for Surgical Success
Operation Collaboration: Radiology - Visualizing Surgical Success
Cancelled Flight vs Cancelled Case
Operation Collaboration: Supply Chain - The Art and Science of Having What You Need
Christmas Eve in the OR
Thriving Through Uncertainty: Modern Approaches to Change Management
Top 10: Orthopedic Surgery
Top 10: Gynecology
Blue Towels, Dirty Loupes, and… Perineal Fallout?!
Thanksgiving Top 10
The Truth About Instrument Reprocessing Times
NPO After Midnight: Fact or Fiction?
Surgeons, Supplies, and the Myth of Unlimited Choice
Who Do Scrubs Really Work Under? Busting A Common OR Myth
Battling Burnout in Nursing
Shellfish Allergy Does Not Equal Betadine Allergy
Eye-Opening Solutions: Rethinking Ophthalmology Practices with ONE TRAY
Working Outside Your Service Line, The More You Know
Room Temp Reality: Evidence, Guidelines, & Practice
Covering Back Tables: Myths, Risks, & Best Practices
Discover A Surgeon's Compassion Beyond the OR
The Joplin Tornado: My Near Miss Experience
The Hidden Cost of Calling
How Do I... Engage Staff in Education?
StreetClothes: The Surfer
How Do I... Understand the AORN Guidelines?
When Communication Isn't A Game
How Do I... Study for the CNOR Exam?
StreetClothes: The Hairdresser
How Do I... Cope With Death in the OR?
How Do I... Prepare for the CST Exam?
StreetClothes: The Mixologist
Don't Stop the Block: Transforming Pain Management with Regional Anesthesia
How Do I... Learn to Scrub?
How Do I... Engage Surgeons & Improve Workflow?
StreetClothes: The Woodturner
Cover It & Keep Going: The Clear Solution for Smarter Perioperative Workflows
Flip Flops, Chaos, and Life-Saving Moments
How Do I... Learn in the OR
StreetClothes: The Hiker
Infection Prevention: The Ultimate Play Call
Beyond the Tap: Why Water Quality Is Critical to Surgical Safety
StreetClothes: The Motorcyclist
Silent but Deadly: The Ever-Present Danger of Surgical Smoke
StreetClothes: The Bakers
Waiting for the Prep to Dry: Why Dry Times Matter
Beyond the Cut: When Medicine Meets Mortality
Beyond the Cut: Navigating Bias & Justice in the OR
StreetClothes: The Beekeeper
Beyond the Cut: Bridging the Generation Gap
Who Was Florence Nightingale?
Beyond the Cut: Improving Outcomes Through Inclusive Care
StreetClothes: The Doula
Beyond the Cut: Cultivating Cultural Competence
Beyond the Cut: Through the Eyes of the Patient
StreetClothes: The Chicken Tenders
Intentionality in Surgical Technology Instruction
Beyond the Cut: The Hidden Influence of Implicit Bias
Optimizing OR Workflows: The Power of Standardization and Custom Kitting
Beyond the Cut: Recognizing & Respecting Patient Diversity
StreetClothes: The Guitarist
StreetClothes: The Personal Chef
Get Ready for AORN Expo 2025!
The Dirty Truth About Stethoscopes: An Overlooked Infection Risk
Perioperative Nursing Around the World: OR Nursing in the US Navy
But, Why? Privileges, Credentials, & Why They Matter
But, Why? Suture 101 - Understanding the Essentials
But, Why? The Truth About Trendelenburg
But, Why? Avoiding Positioning Pitfalls
But, Why? Unpacking the Protection in PPE
But, Why? Tips, Tricks, & Everyday Best Practice
But, Why? Why Accurate Documentation Matters
But, Why? Rethinking Habits, Rules, & Sacred Cows
Perioperative Nursing Around The World: Celebrating Perioperative Nurses in Spain
Perioperative Nursing Around the World: Celebrating Perioperative Nurses in S. Africa
Perioperative Nursing Around the World: Celebrating Perioperative Nurses in New Zealand
Perioperative Nursing Around the World: Celebrating Perioperative Nurses in England
From Prep to Protection: SSIs, Patient Safety, & 3M™ SoluPrep™ S Sterile Antiseptic Solution
FC Special Release: Leading the Way: Understanding the Role of the OR Charge Nurse
Centralization KPIs to Strive For: And How to Know They're Effective
Season 13 Finale: Clinical Guidelines, Tourniquet Safety, and... Yoga?
Invest in Success: A Personalized Approach to Your Staffing Needs
Technology: A Help or Hindrance for Centralization Projects?
Understanding Expiration Dates
Workplace Violence: And What We're Doing About It
The Policies & Procedures That Make Centralization Successful
Advocating for Safety
Special Release: Halloween 2024 - Uncovering Surgery's Bloody & Painful Past
From Here to There: Planning the Logistics of Centralization
Perfecting Preference Cards: Why We Need to Get Them Right
Space and Storage Woes: Considerations to Address with Centralization
Sharps Safety in the Operating Room
How Data Integrity Contributes to Successful Centralization
Blood Products in Surgery: What You Need to Know
A Financial Perspective on Instrument Centralization
Season 13 Premier: Back to the Basics
Clarity, Precision, & Efficiency: Revolutionizing Laparoscopic Surgical Smoke Evacuation
Who Is Behind Centralization? Building the Dream Team
Reducing Injury, Improving Outcomes: A Safer Approach to Colonoscopies
True Scope of Inventory: How Many Instruments Are We Really Dealing With?
Feeling the Pressure: Uncovering the Hidden Risks of Colonoscopies
Dueling Priorities: Surgeon Preference vs Standardization
The Roadmap to Surgical Instrument Centralization: How Long Does it Really Take?
Caring for the Hands that Heal: Identifying the Impact of High-Quality Surgical Gloves
What's Driving the Era of Surgical Instrument Centralization?
Supply Chain Survival: Ensuring Stability When Disaster Strikes
Cyber Attacks! Ensuring Continuity in Patient Care
Asset Resale & Recycle
Everyday Disasters & Major Crises: Understanding Facilities' Role in Hospital Readiness
Optimized for Accuracy: Identifying Pack Review and Procedure Card Best Practices
Decommissioning
Wilderness Life Support: Preparing for Emergencies Beyond the Hospital
Redesigned for Reliability: Streamlining Procedural Supplies & Operational Efficiency
Asset Redeployment
Code Blue Confidence: Strategies for Training, Simulation, & Readiness
Customized for Efficiency: Exploring Robotic Assisted Surgery & Procedural Pack Solutions
Disaster Response: Insights from Emergency Management
The Cost of Ownership: Equipment Service and Support
From 9/11 to Now: Developing an Effective Disaster Response
The Importance of Service Reporting
Prepared for Anything: Real-Life Lessons in Readiness
Maintenance Scheduling: Equipment Service & Support
Inventory Management
Project Management and Equipment Receiving & Staging
Sourcing Equipment & Negotiating the Best Contract
Sourcing Equipment & Negotiating the Best Contract
The Cost of Ownership: Equipment Service and Support
Clinical Aromatherapy: Exploring the Power of Essential Oils
The Importance of Service Reporting
Going Beyond Opioids: Understanding Clinical Aromatherapy
Asset Lifecycle Management: Who Cares?
Going Beyond Opioids: Discovering the Benefits of Music
Data-Driven Surgery: Empowering Confidence and Precision
Going Beyond Opioids: Understanding Opioid Sparing Surgery
Going Beyond Opioids: Managing Pain & Anxiety with Virtual Reality
Revolutionizing Efficiency: Unveiling the AITA Smart System
Going Beyond Opioids: Implementing ERAS Pathways
Going Beyond Opioids: Navigating Pediatric Pain Management
Going Beyond Opioids: Discovering the Power of Regional Anesthesia
Who Says Patients Don't Know?
Going Beyond Opioids: Redefining Pain Management
Laser Precision in the OR: Enhancing Safety, Efficiency, and Quality
The Cost Implications of Deploying Multiple Privacy Curtain Panels Per Track
A Candid Reflection: Serving and Learning in Honduras
The Consequences of Ceiling-Mounted Cubicle Tracks
Antimicrobial Curtains: A False Sense of Security
Carbon Footprint Reduction in the OR
Privacy Curtains Cannot Be Cleaned By UV-C
High-Risk Touchpoints and Surfaces
Advocacy in Action: A Surgical Tech's Journey to Transforming the Profession
Disposable Does Not Always Equal Recyclable
Empowering the Patient: A Journey into Patient Advocacy
The Power of Pockets: Revolutionizing Surgical Gown Design
Cloth Privacy Curtains vs Recyclable Privacy Curtains
Clearing the Air: Advocating for Surgical Smoke Evacuation Legislation
Soft, Porous Fabrics in the Patient "Hot Zone"
Find Your People: A Journey into Healthcare & Political Engagement
A Comprehensive Standard for Exchanging Privacy Curtains
Empowering Advocacy: Building Coalitions for Change
Monitoring Privacy Curtains in the Patient "Hot Zone"
Empowering Change: A Guide to Advocacy in Healthcare
Nursing at the Crossroads: Advocacy, Profit, and the Heart of Healthcare
Empowering Voices: Unleashing Advocacy in Surgical Training
Patient Care in the OR is Different, Not Non-Existent
Special Release: From Bedside to Business Owner
Aseptic Technique: Recognizing the Critical Role of Surgical Techs in Infection Prevention
No Fuss Slush: Discover the Streamlined Efficiency of Fully-Automated Surgical Slush
Surgical Conscience: Linking Safe Surgery & Infection Prevention
What is Infection Prevention? Discovering the Role of Infection Preventionists
Clearing the Clutter: Overcoming Hospital Equipment Storage Struggles
Hands-on Education to Develop Your Team: Balancing Resources and Simulation to Promote Staff Development
Understanding Health Equity through Clinical Storytelling
Stop, Communicate, and Listen: Mastering the Art of Active Listening
Operating with Confidence: Discovering the Next Generation Surgical Power System
Your Personalized Self: Understanding the Importance of Self-Advocacy in the Interview Process
Speaking Up: Confronting Bullying in the Operating Room
Inclusive Surgical Care: Communicating with Neurodivergent Patients
Empowering Pediatric Patients: Nurturing Positive Surgical Experiences
Cracking the Communication Code: Optimizing OR-Supply Chain Collaboration
Top 10: Vascular Surgery
Breaking the Language Barrier: Effective Communication with Spanish-Speaking Patients
The Power of Communication: Unlocking Success in the Operating Room
Successfully Climbing the Leadership Ladder
Fits Like A Glove: The Performance & Protection of Latex Free Gloves
Coach, Don't Boss: 5 Keys to Effective Wellbeing in the OR
Touch and Go: Examining High-Touch Surfaces and Hospital-Acquired Infections
Let's Get Down to Business: Understanding the Role of Business Managers in Perioperative Success
Top 10: Orthopedic Surgery
Humanity + Technology: Coming Together to Optimize Patient Care
Tiny But Mighty: The Safe Care and Handling of Micro Instruments
Pulling Back the Curtain: Uncovering the Privacy Curtain Standard of Care
Stress in the Operating Room
Making it Count: Using Technology to Prevent Retained Surgical Items
Streamline the Process: Partnering with Distributors to Purchase Capital Equipment
To All of the Moms Working in Healthcare
Designed with Purpose: Understanding the Design and Function of OR Tables
Let There Be Light: Shining the Spotlight on Operating Room Lighting
Creating A Buzz: Discovering the Power of Electrosurgical Units
Educating the Team: Empowering OR Staff to Use Equipment Safely
Built With Intention: Exploring OR Integration & Design
Practical Tips for New OR Nurses
How Do We Get What We Need? Understanding Capital Budgets
Zero Exposure: Protecting OR Staff from Formalin
The Benefits of Double Gloving
The Power of Why
Top 10: Cardiac Surgery
Defining Leadership: The Importance of Mentorship, Honesty, & Transparency
Professional Coaching: Identifying Strengths & Revealing Blindspots
Put it on Paper: Writing Articles for Professional Publications
Respect the Triangle, Stop the Spark
Isolation or Teamwork: Hardwiring Collaboration Into Our Culture
Chasing Your Passion: Educating & Advocating for CST Success
Don't Forget to Water Your Plants
What's Holding You Back: Pushing Through Limiting Mindsets for Professional Growth
Facts vs Fiction: Exposing the Myths Surrounding UV-C Disinfection
In Good Company: Highlighting the Benefits of Professional Organizations
Negotiating Contracts with Anesthesia
Laying A Solid Foundation: Defining Professional Development
Hip Replacements, Ortho Sales Reps, & Social Media: The Voice of Experience
Disaster Preparation and Readiness
A Fresh Perspective: Seeing the OR Through the Eyes of a Patient
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Infection Prevention, Information Technology, and the OR
Proud to Be A Perioperative Nurse: Celebrating Perioperative Nurses Week!
Plugged In For Success: Understanding Video Integration in the OR
A New View on Revenue: Transforming Healthcare Systems Through Supply Chain
My First Heart Surgery
Let's Talk! A Candid Chat with Co-Host Melanie Perry
The Power of Precision
What You Can't See: Uncovering the Dangers of Subglottic Drainage
Surgery Inventory Management & Control Tips
From Hurting to Healing: Understanding Moral Injury & Achieving Moral Healing
A Safer Standard: Elevating Practice to Prevent Surgical Fires
Fire Safety in the OR: Improving Workflows to Reduce OR Fire Risk
Surgery Block Utilization
A Tip of the (Red) Hat: Exploring the Benefits of Strong Vendor Relationships
Help for Surgical Professionals: Discover the Key to OR Education, Training, & Productivity
Before You Go... Celebrating the Success, Influence, & Retirement of Paul Wafer
How to Help Experienced Nurses Succeed in the OR
Perioperative Balance
How to Help New Grads Succeed in the OR
Don't Get Blocked: Understanding Productivity & Efficiency in Block Scheduling
Pre-Admission Testing
Working Smarter: Embracing Technology to Make Surgery Safer
For the Sake of the (Re)Call: Leveraging Technology to Improve Recall Management
To Flip or Not to Flip? That is the Question...
Protection and Prevention: Understanding Laser Safety in the Operating Room
A Voice from the Frontline: Demystifying OR Satisfaction
Protect Your Sterile Field
Instrument Tray Optimization
What's the Pref Card Say? Uncovering the Realities of Preference Card Management
Whose Job is it Anyway? Recognizing the Importance of Instrument Care in the OR
New Grads in the OR
How To Make Procedure Day More Efficient and Cost Effective
The Burden of Perfection - And How to Carry It
Surviving the Joint Commission: 4 Helpful Tips
Do Unto Others: Giving the Gift of Surgery
It'll All Come Out in the Wash: Decontaminating the Relationship Between OR and SPD
The Elusive Consistency of Perioperative Productivity
Preparing for the Future: Using Predictive Analytics in Perioperative Succession Planning
Passionate About Neuro: A Candid Discussion About Working in This Surgical Specialty
What Happens When No One Is Watching?
Making the Grade: Improving Scrub Tech Success with Sterile Processing Education
The Perioperative Efficiency Continuum
Orientation in Surgery: How to be Successful
Breaking Bottlenecks: Improving Efficiency with Healthcare Systems Engineering
Plugging In Your People: Hardwiring Workforce Culture Using Technology
Effective Communication: The Foundation of Patient Safety
The Numbers Don't Lie: Using Predictive Analytics in Perioperative Staffing
Flipping the Switch: Shedding Light on the Value of OR Educators
The Sticky Truth About Tape
Getting to the Point: Understanding Certification, CEs, and Points
Who's On First? Recognizing the Value of RNFA's in the OR
Normalization of Deviance, Group-Think, Shortcuts, and Work-Arounds in the Operating Room
Seeing Into The Future: Redefining Surgical Training Through Virtual Reality
The Future is Bright: Using Technology to Improve Patient Outcomes
Put Me In, Coach! Professional Coaching for Perioperative Excellence
The Hole Story: Confronting Sterile Processing Challenges in the OR
Change What You See In SPD
When Surgery is Scary: Overcoming Anxiety in Our Pediatric Patients
Customized By Design: Exploring the Intersection of Safety and Efficiency in Sterile Storage
Sterile Processing Productivity
From Ear to Ear: Improving the Lives of Children with Microtia... One 3-D Ear at a Time
Do You Have Sufficient Anesthesia Technician Coverage?
Advancing the OR: Understanding the Value of the Clinical Nurse Specialist
The Truth About Bad Behavior in the OR
Perioperative Nursing Electives: Bringing the OR Back to Nursing Schools
Case Cart Best Practices and Common Errors to Avoid
Patient Positioning Without The Pain: Evolving Patient Positioning For Both Patients and Staff
Heave NO!: Patient Positioning Without the Pushing and Pulling
When It's Just Been One of Those Days
The Power of Productivity: Harnessing Efficiency to Improve Patient Care
Errors in Perioperative Leadership
Eyes on OR Supplies: Every Link in the Chain Matters
Conducting a Fantastic Pre-Op Interview
What's Your Preference? Improving Pref Card Management in the OR
You Must Make Yourself a Priority
Tag, You're It!: Managing Instrument Quality and Repair for the OR
How to Survive an Intense Orientation in the OR
Evolution of the Scrub Tech: The Unsung Hero of the Surgical Experience
A Proper Time-Out is Always Best Practice
Proceed with Caution: The What, Why, & When of Neuromonitoring in Surgery
10 Things I Learned in the Operating Room
When the OR Gets In Your Bones: The Passion & Purpose of Vendor Representatives
The Fear of Change
Open Minds on Laparoscopic Cases: Is Current Practice Best Practice?
Why Every OR Will Need a Robot (Eventually) & What You Need to Know Before You Purchase
Tune Out or Time Out: Our Last Chance to Get Surgery Right
Effective Management of Consignment Inventory
Two Sides of the Same Heart: What the OR & Cath Lab Have In Common
Case Cart Preparation 101: Back to the Basics
The Times They Are A'Changing: 65 Years As An Operating Room Nurse
Preference Lists and Picking Cases
Grand Theft Case Cart: Pilfering, Supplies, and the OR Scramble
Five Common Errors in Surgery Block Schedule Management
Ready for Robotics? What You Need to Know Before You Start
Keeping New Staff in the Operating Room
Present & Accounted For - The Importance of Visible OR Leadership
Key Indicators of Performance for the Operating Room
Surgery in the Shadow of a Pandemic: Voices from the Front Line
4 Misconceptions About Surgery Turnover Time
Up, Down, & Around - What You Need to Know About OR Air Flow
OR - Sterile Processing Relationships
Divided We Fail - Overcoming the Damaging Drama of OR / SPD Battles
Challenges in Pre-operative Preparation
Bully in Scrubs: Straight Talk about a Big Problem
Preoperative Patient Assessment and Preparation -- Inefficiencies and Its Impact To Your Bottom Line
Call Schedules: Is there a way to do them right?
More than Letters on a Badge: A Chat about OR Certifications
Inaugural Episode: Meet the Hosts and Hear the Vision for First Case