First Case Podcast

How do we approach sterility and proper technique in ways that prioritize patient safety and best practices? And why does it matter? In today's episode, Chris and Melanie are diving into the nitty-gritty details of sterile technique — because in the Operating Room, there's no room for "good enough." Tune in to find out why as we discuss guidelines, best practices, and the common mistakes that have...

Is charting really that important? Joining us today to discuss the vital role that documentation plays in the operating room is Anna Gray, RNFA and Legal Nurse Consultant. From understanding what to document to exploring the connection between nurses' notes and surgeons' operative reports, Anna shares her expertise on why every detail matters.  Tune in to hear compelling courtroom examples where d...

Welcome to Season 14 of First Case! This season, we're tackling the question: "But, why?" Why do we do the things we do in the OR? From practices we swear by to those that might need to be retired, nothing is off-limits as we explore the reasoning—or lack thereof—behind our routines. In this season premier, Chris and Melanie dive into some of the most common OR habits, rules, and sacred cows, and...

While we wait for Season 14, we're bringing you an audio version of our Perioperative Nurses Week video interview series. Catch up on any interview you missed and travel around the world with us!  How would you like to get a post-graduate degree in Perioperative nursing? In Spain, you can! Today we're traveling to Spain to learn more about perioperative nursing and nursing education from Esther Es...

While we wait for Season 14, we're bringing you an audio version of our Perioperative Nurses Week video interview series. Catch up on any interview you missed and travel around the world with us!  Today we're traveling from S. Africa to California as we learn about perioperative nursing and nursing education from Andrew Veitch. Andrew has a great story to share with us, so tune in and learn what i...

𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 13 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 14! 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘕𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴! In this 4-week series we are travelling across the globe to hear from perioperative nurses worldwide. This week, we're traveling to New...

Season 13 has come to an end, and we're anxiously awaiting the launch of Season 14! While we wait, we're bringing you a series of interviews that we did to celebrate Perioperative Nurses Week.  In this 4-week series, we travelled across the globe to hear from perioperative nurses worldwide. In this first episode, we're speaking with Helen Evans and traveling across the pond to England! We'll learn...

Are you ready to dive into the details that make a difference? Join us for an exciting First Case Vendor Spotlight™ with Jenna Lindsay, Clinical Application Specialist, and Vinod Menon, Product Development Specialist, at Solventum (formerly 3M Health Care). We're unpacking everything you need to know about surgical skin prep and its crucial role in helping prevent surgical site infections (SSIs)....

Season 13 has come to an end, but we're not done bringing you exciting content! In this panel discussion hosted by Melanie Perry, we'll hear 3 different perspectives from Charge Nurses in three very different types of facilities. Our panel of experts includes:  📌Lisa Bailey: Ambulatory Surgery Center, Texas 📌Carlos Dillard: Critical Access Hospital, Rural Alabama 📌Andrew Withrow: Academic Medic...

What Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should we be assessing and evaluating as we determine the success of our centralization efforts? Find out in this final episode of the Expert Series On-The-Go with Bryan Stuart!  💡In this weekly series we're learning from industry expert 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗩𝗣, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗽. Bryan has over 30 years of experience in t...

 We're combining education and relaxation in our final episode of Season 13! We're wrapping up our season with Zach Swartz, Perioperative Practice Specialist and Yoga Teacher. Tune in to learn more about how clinical guidelines are researched and developed, learn about the AORN Guideline for Tourniquet Safety, AND, learn more about incorporating yoga techniques into your day! Zach will even provid...

When you need a traveler, how confident are you that the person you're getting is truly qualified to fill the role? What if you could work with a staffing partner who had experienced OR and SPD professionals on staff who were truly able to determine the qualifications of the people coming into your department because they understand the role themselves? On this special First Case and Beyond Clean...

Technology can be a powerful tool in helping to achieve surgical instrument centralization success. Tune in to today's Expert Series On-The-Go with Bryan Stuart to find out more! 💡In this weekly series we're learning from industry expert 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗩𝗣, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗽. Bryan has over 30 years of experience in the medical field and 13 years of operat...

What do you do before you open an item to the sterile field? From the first day we step into an operating room, we're taught to inspect our items for damage, ensure sterility, and check the expiration dates. But why are those expiration dates there? And how can we ensure that we avoid issues with expired products in our departments?   Joining us in the studio to talk all things expiration dates is...

The most common type of violence in the healthcare setting is violence from patients, families, or visitors toward healthcare staff. In today's interview, we're addressing this important topic and discussing how it relates to the surgical setting with JD Buchert, Director of Workforce Safety at Parkland Health in Dallas, TX. Join us as we discuss the sobering reality of violence toward healthcare...

Establishing new policies and procedures for centralization can help you ensure that your organization is prepared for a successful future. Find out why it's important to have policies and procedures that are specific to centralization in today's Expert Series On-The-Go! with Bryan Stuart.  💡In this weekly series we're learning from industry expert 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗩𝗣, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹...

How clean is the air in your OR? Do you know what you're breathing in during cases that generate surgical smoke? On today's interview we're speaking with Kim Tuemler, OR Nurse and founder of Wylie-Tuemler OR Nurse Consulting about the dangers of surgical smoke. Join us as Kim shares how she learned about the risks of inhaling surgical smoke and find out what she did about it. Today's interview wil...

We've got a treat in store for you today! Lindsey Joyce is back in the studio with Chris Blevins and Melanie Perry to uncover the exciting, but sometimes gruesome, history of surgery. Today's conversation will make you wince as you learn about the alarming experiences of patients having surgery prior to anesthesia. You'll cringe when you discover the chilling extent of bloodletting practices. And...

What are the critical logistics to consider when planning for centralization? In today's episode, Bryan shares 5 crucial aspects of planning that cannot be overlooked. Tune in now! 💡In this weekly series we're learning from industry expert 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗩𝗣, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗽. Bryan has over 30 years of experience in the medical field and 13 years of oper...

"What does my preference card say?" How many times have we been asked that question? How often have our preference cards not been up-to-date and we've pulled the wrong instrument, medication, or supply? Preference cards are a often a source of frustration in our Operating Rooms, but they don't have to be! In today's interview, we dive into the details of preference cards with Jen Nichols, Senior C...

When determining the size of the sterile storage area, what elements should be considered? In today's episode, Bryan shares three insights that can instruct how to set up a storage system with accurate space estimations to meet your facility's needs. Tune in now to learn more! 💡In this weekly series we're learning from industry expert 𝗕𝗿𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗩𝗣, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁...

 Have you experienced a sharps injury, and did you report it after it happened? Joining us today to discuss all things sharps safety is Kristine Little, an OR Nurse from North Carolina and consultant/nurse educator for Qlicksmart. In today's episode, we're going to uncover the realities and prevalence of sharps injuries, find out what AORN, AST, and OSHA have to say about sharps safety, and also d...

 "Accurately calculating instrument utilization, processing times, and inventory levels can help manage a health system effectively. However, making these sound decisions is only as good as the data used to make them. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻." Find out more...

When you need blood during an emergency, do you know how to order it? Do you know the different blood products that are available for your patient? In today's episode, we're speaking with Lindsey Joyce, CVOR nurse and First Case content creator to learn more about the many blood products available for use during surgery. Whether you're dealing with a scheduled case or an emergency situation, tune...

"A purpose-built, offsite facility to service multiple medical centers can help to save healthcare institutions money, as opposed to building or expanding on-premises facilities." In today's episode, Bryan shares how surgical instrument centralization can be a compelling investment with largescale cost-savings over time. Tune in to find out more! 💡In this weekly series we're learning from industr...