First Case Podcast

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Lindsey Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR, and Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this article, Lindsey and Melanie share the Top 10 things you need to know if you're going to be working in Orthopedic Surgery.   " In today's Top 10, we're going to talk about Orthopedic Surgery, and go beyond the bones to talk about the items th...

Does augmented intelligence (AI) have a place in the operating room? Can AI help deliver patient services and improve the delivery of healthcare? We're asking these questions and more on today's episode of First Case as we talk to Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, Member of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association. We'll discuss the challenges associated with using AI, the regulatory pathw...

Between Season 7 & 8, we're rereleasing some of our most popular episodes from seasons past! Enjoy! It's very hard to tell that a micro instrument is damaged, until it's seen underneath a microscope – then the damage is immediately obvious. Micro instruments require special care and handling to protect them and to prevent damage. On today's episode, we're talking all things micro with Terry Harrel...

How many times do you handle privacy curtains during a regular shift? In surgical services, we often have privacy curtains in our preoperative and postoperative areas. How often do we touch the curtain, and then touch the patient? Do you know what contaminants have been found on privacy curtains? In today's First Case Vendor Spotlight TM with Karen Goelst, CEO & Founder of KleenEdge, we're going t...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this article, Melanie offers 5 tips for handling stress in the Operating Room.  " The operating room environment will always have associated stress, it's just the nature of what we do. But that doesn't give us the right to treat our coworkers poorly, just because we're stressed. T...

"1, 2, 3, 4…. We're missing a sponge…Let's count again." Does this conversation sound familiar? Manual surgical counts are a standard procedure for every surgical case, but studies show that incidences of retained surgical items (RSIs) continue to occur even when the count has been reported as correct. In this final interview of Season 7, we tackle the topic of surgical counts and adjunct technolo...

When you buy Capital Equipment, do you purchase through the manufacturer, or do you use a distributor? What are the benefits to purchasing through a distributor? Joining us today to discuss the role of the Capital Equipment Distributor is Jonathan Murphy, Regional Account Executive at Didage and Surgical Power. In this interview, we'll learn about purchasing new vs refurbished equipment, how distr...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this special Mother's Day release, Melanie takes a minute to recognize the hardworking moms who are making a difference in healthcare.  " ... but regardless of the job that we do, what doesn't change is that we're all still moms. Moms trying to work full-time, part time, or PRN to...

How much do you know about your OR tables? Do you ever put much thought into the design and function of this vital piece of OR equipment? In today's episode of the First Case podcast, we're talking all things OR tables with Brian Grant, Product Manager Commercial Operations at Getinge. We're going to talk about table design, patient and staff considerations when using OR tables, and safety. You'll...

How much thought do you give to that switch you flip every morning when you walk into your OR? The lights come on, and we start our day, right? After listening to this interview with Trey Whitehurst, Founder & CEO of CH Whitehurst Solutions, LLC., you'll see there's more to the lights than just flipping a switch. How did we get the OR lighting that we have today? What types of light are in our ORs...

How much do you know about your electrosurgery unit (ESU), or 'the Bovie'? Were you taught anything more about it than just how to turn it on and apply the dispersive pad? In today's interview with Michelle Lemmons, Field Sales Training Program Manager at Steris, we're learning all about this essential piece of surgical equipment! How does the ESU work? How can we protect our patients and prevent...

OR Educators are crucial to our success in the Operating Room. One of their many roles is to ensure that we use equipment safely, protecting ourselves and protecting our patients. In this week's interview with OR Educator Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, we go behind the scenes to learn how an OR Educator empowers frontline staff to safely use the equipment in the OR. What training do they provide?...

Operating Rooms (ORs) have to be designed properly so that we can use all of the equipment needed to perform operations. What does the integration and design of an OR look like? How do we make sure that our OR design allows for efficient operational workflow? In this interview with Brian Moores, Senior Principal Healthcare Information Technology at Shen Milsom & Wilke, we break down the importance...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this article, Melanie offers practical tips and insight for new nurses in the Operating Room.  " The Operating Room (OR) is overwhelming. Whether you're a new grad showing up on your first day as an RN, or you're new but have been a nurse in another department for 20 years, it's a...

When you need new equipment in your Operating Room, how do you get it? Where does the money come from for large purchases? In this exciting kick-off to Season 7, we're diving right into the topic of Capital Budgets with special guest Garry Skinner, Cofounder and Partner at Discover S3. What is a capital budget? How do you get the equipment that you need? We're addressing all of these questions and...

How often do you handle specimens in your operating room? Have you ever considered your risk of exposure to a Class 1 carcinogen every time you add formalin to your specimen containers?  Formalin is recognized as a Class 1 carcinogen, and exposure to the fumes is a safety issue for all OR staff. But, healthcare organizations can now mitigate this health and safety risk. Find out how in this eye-op...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this article, Melanie discusses three specific benefits of double gloving, and explains that double gloving is a practice for all of us, not just for those in specific specialties.  "T he benefits of double gloving reach across the lines of the various specialties. Everyone can be...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Melanie Perry, BSN, RN, CNOR, CSSM. In this article, Melanie examines the benefits that a fresh perspective can add to our department. And, she highlights the importance of asking, "Why?" " Do we fully appreciate the value that a fresh perspective and a new set of eyes brings to our department and to our established pr...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Lindsey Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR, CNL. In this article, Lindsey shares the Top 10 things you need to know if you're going to be working in Cardiac Surgery.   " While I still learn things daily, there are 10 things that stand out that every OR nurse and scrub should know about cardiac surgery. Here's my Top 10..." ------ Ar...

Season 15 has come to an end, and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 16 on July 7, 2025! While we wait, here's a throwback to a great interview from Season 6!  What makes a good leader? Are you only a leader if you have a title? Joining us to talk all things Perioperative Leadership is Jennifer Misajet, COO & CNO at Mercy One. In this final episode of Season 6, learn about Jennifer's pe...

Season 15 has come to an end, and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 16 on July 7, 2025! While we wait, here's a throwback to a great interview from Season 6!  Can professional growth include coaching? How can a career coach help me personally and professionally? You are going to find out today as we sit down with Certified Professional Career Coach Phyllis Quinlan, PhD, RN! As the Pres...

Season 15 has come to an end, and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 16 on July 7, 2025! While we wait, here's a throwback to a great interview from Season 6!  Have you ever thought about sharing your knowledge and expertise by writing articles for nursing magazines? How do you get started? Find out in this informative interview with Judy Mathias, Clinical Editor at OR Manager. Find out...

This week's episode of the First Case "Articles On-The-Go" series is written by Lindsey Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR, CNL. In this article, Lindsey discusses the fire triangle, and the importance of fire safety training in our ORs.   "Which is why education is the key to these preventable disasters. All of the surgical team, from the surgeon and anesthesiologist to the circulator and scrub, to the other s...

Season 15 has come to an end, and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 16 on July 7, 2025! While we wait, here's a throwback to a great interview from Season 6!  Do you experience collaboration within the departments of your organization, or is each department isolated? Is it possible to measure the degree to which we are collaborating? Brooke Elliott, Founder of BE Complete Coaching & Co...

If you ask a patient who took care of them in the OR, they'll definitely remember their surgeon, and they'll probably remember their anesthetist and their nurse. But, do they ever remember the surgical technologist (ST)? Do they even know there was another expert scrubbed in for their case? In this Season 6 interview with Chris Blevins, CST, Founder of the Scrub Life Podcast, we talk about the des...