First Case Podcast

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this thought-provoking article, Melanie uses a gardening metaphor to remind OR Leaders to be visible and to be pay attention to their employees so they are able to pick up on any issues quickly.  ------ Articles On-the-Go presents perioperative insights from written articles in a...

While we wait for Season 15 to begin, here's a throwback to a great episode from Season 6!  Let's be real. There's a lot of..."stuff" that can hold us back. Even stuff we aren't aware of. Today's interview with Lindsay Brown, VP of Sales and Marketing at Beyond Clean, will be an exploration of common limiting mindsets that prevent personal and professional growth. What IS a limiting mindset? How d...

What have you heard about UV-C Disinfection? Are all low-level disinfection devices created equally? Find out the truth about UV-C disinfection in this exciting First Case Vendor SpotlightTM with Gunner Lyslo, Founder and CEO of Surfacide. Learn how low-level disinfection with UV-C energy significantly reduces the presence of viruses and bacteria, and find out how it disinfects colonized surfaces...

Have you ever thought about joining a professional organization? Is there any value or benefit to joining? In this Season 6 episode of "Success in Scrubs," we speak with Stella Yau, BSN, RN, CNOR, about the benefits of professional organizations. Go beyond simply earning CEs, and dive into the relationships, networking, and mentoring that professional organizations have to offer! Discover how Stel...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, we've teamed up with OR Manager to bring you great insights into negotiating anesthesia contracts. Find out what successful negotiation means and learn what mistakes to avoid. Plus, tune in for a special discount to the OR Business Management Conference, just for First Case listeners! ---- Articles On-the-Go presents perioperati...

This season, we're tackling the topic of professional growth and development. What does that look like for perioperative professionals? Is there a certain path we're supposed to follow? Is there more to professional growth than getting CEs? Join us as Jamie Terran, Certified Career Coach and VP of Marketing & Education at Propper Mfg, kicks off the conversation and helps us define professional dev...

What will 3 hip replacements in 4 years get you? If you're Johnny Caffaro, CEO & Founder of Caffaro Way, it will give you the lived experience as a hip-replacement patient, a strong personal brand to tell your story, and a heart for teaching others how to advocate for themselves and for their care. Join us as Johnny shares his story, find out how he built his personal brand through the power of so...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, written by written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM, she shares critical insights on the importance of disaster preparation, training, and readiness for our healthcare facilities.   " And that is why preparation is key. Take the time to prepare for internal and external disasters before they occur . Run the fire drills, tor...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, written by Brenna Page, MSN, RN, CNOR, CNAMB, she shares what it was like to be on the other side of the stretcher and the perspective that she gained as a recent surgical patient.  "I was recently a patient myself. I was already familiar with the facility, and the staff was made up of people that I work with, yet I was still ne...

We've wrapped up Season 11 and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 12. While we wait, here's a throwback to Season 5! As our operating rooms become more technologically advanced, how do our Infection Preventionists keep up? How does Infection Prevention (IP) keep in step with the technology, and ensure that we are disinfecting all of the different equipment properly? Find out the answers...

Happy Perioperative Nurses' Week! We are celebrating the achievements and contributions of perioperative nurses this week as host Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM, sits down for a conversation with Brenna Page, MSN, RN, CNAMB, CNOR discussing all things perioperative. They'll talk about what it's like to be an OR nurse, discuss why they love OR nursing, share stories from their experiences, and...

Where does this cord go? How can I get the monitor to work? Why is it not working already?? We've all been there, feeling the gaze of the surgeon as everyone in the room waits for us to hook up equipment, only to struggle with getting video connections to actually work. We're talking all things video integration today with Ryan Hager, Global Digital Marketing & Documentation Manager at FSN Medical...

What do revenue models have to do with the profitability of your Operating Room? How is the changing landscape going to impact the bottom line of your hospitals today and into the future? From charge stickers on every item, to capitation rates and merit-based incentive pay, we're all experiencing a transformation in the payment structure of patient care even if we can't quite get our minds around...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, written by Lindsey Joyce, MSN, RN, CNL, CNOR, she shares her experience scrubbing an open heart case for the very first time. "Repetition is the key to mastering any surgical specialty. The major portions of a CABG that require precise knowledge of steps is cannulation (going on the heart/lung machine) and doing anastomosis. You...

Did the Operating Room seem just a little overwhelming during orientation? Did you rethink your decision to come to the OR after experiencing how different it was from other departments? In today's interview with First Case Co-Host Melanie Perry, find out how she would answer those questions, and learn why, as an experienced nurse, she decided to make the move to the Operating Room. Join us today...

Surgeons need high-quality instruments that are dependable and guaranteed to work, every single time. But not all surgical instruments are created equal in terms of precision, durability, and quality. In today's First Case Vendor Spotlight, Dr. Mark Jewell, a recognized world leader in plastic surgery, shares his experiences using Stille instruments, which are exclusively distributed in the US by...

In between Seasons 10 and 11, we're re-releasing 4 exciting episodes from Season 5! Once our patients are intubated, what's going on inside their airway? Is it protected from drainage and secretions? On today's episode, we speak with anesthesiologist Dr. Benjamin Wang, MD, CMO and Founder of NeVap. We are going to learn about healthy airway design, how anesthetics and paralytics affect the airway,...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN, he shares 5 tips to get started controlling the inventory of the surgery department. "By standardizing our processes, our teams know where to look for supplies, and our materials management teams can more easily keep our shelves stocked. This has the added benefit of improving our efficiency a...

In between Seasons 10 and 11, we're re-releasing 4 exciting episodes from Season 5! What is moral injury? How does it apply to healthcare workers? How did the Covid-19 pandemic highlight this phenomenon? Helping us understand more about moral injury is Dr. Mike Rempel, DNP, RN, CNOR, education specialist, at University Hospital, Newark, NJ. If you haven't heard of moral injury, you're not alone! I...

What if there were an intuitive solution that could help prevent surgical fires and related patient burns? Would you have greater peace of mind if you knew that your patient and the surgical drapes could be protected from the heat generated by your light cables? Joining us in this special Fire Safety Week First Case Vendor Spotlight™ is Kamil Makhnejia, VP of Clinical Development at Jackson Medica...

In between Seasons 10 and 11, we're rereleasing 4 exciting episodes from Season 5! In this week's re-release, we're talking all things fire safety! We're familiar with fire safety drills, evacuation drills, and we've probably taken the same fire safety test (with the same answers) for a few years in a row. Today's interview with Kamil Makhnejia, VP of Clinical Development at Jackson Medical, remin...

In this week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series, written by Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN, he shares how we can increase overall room utilization in surgery.  "The ultimate goal of blocks is to improve the overall utilization of the OR by rewarding those physicians that consistently use their time. By taking a deeper look at how block time is released at your facility, and determini...

In between Seasons 10 and 11, we're rereleasing 4 exciting episodes from Season 5! How can the OR and SPD benefit from strong vendor relationships? How can our current vendor management process be improved? We're talking all things vendor management on today's episode of First Case with Jeff Wertz, Chief Commercial Officer at Sergio Health. Tune in as we discuss the current state of frustration fr...

It's no secret that onboarding new staff is a very resource-intensive process. Traditionally, new hires are at the mercy of their trainer's experience and competency level, and it can be challenging to ensure that every new surgical resident, surgical technician or OR circulator is receiving a thorough orientation. We need to be able to train our new employees consistently, thoroughly, and effecti...

In this special Bonus Episode, we talk to our very own Paul Wafer, BS, MBA, RN. Paul's 45 year career has spanned every position in healthcare, from orderly, to OR nurse, to CEO, and entrepreneur. Join us as we celebrate his contributions to the operating room, reflect on the mentors who shaped him throughout his career, and listen as he shares valuable lessons that he learned along the way. While...