First Case Podcast

The AORN Expo is not just another conference—it's an immersive, high-energy event packed with education, networking, and hands-on learning opportunities! As thousands of perioperative professionals prepare to gather in historic Boston from April 5–8, 2025, making the most of this experience requires some strategic planning. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a seasoned Expo veteran, these ten tips will help you navigate the busy schedule, maximize learning opportunities, and ensure an unforgettable experience. From utilizing the Expo app to networking with industry leaders, voting in AORN elections, and staying comfortable throughout the event, we've got you covered. Ready to make the most of AORN Expo 2025? Let's dive in! #operatingroom #perioperative #ornurse #perioperativenurse #aornexpo

Ever think about how clean your stethoscope really is? 🤔 On this special release episode of First Case, we're teaming up with Transmission Control to tackle a hidden but serious infection risk—stethoscope hygiene! Join us as we chat with Scott Mader, CEO & Founder of AseptiScope, about how stethoscopes can become overlooked vectors for infection and what we can do to fix it. Spoiler: You might want to clean your stethoscope after this episode! 😷 #operatingroom #ornurse #nurse #surgery #infectionprevention

Season 14 is a wrap! And while we wait for Season 15, we're bringing you an audio version of an interview we did with Stella Yau during Perioperative Nurses Week! In this interview, we're talking with Stella Yau about her experience as a perioperative nurse in the US Navy. As she tells her story, you'll hear about nursing school education in the United States, about the additional responsibilities for nursing students in an ROTC Program, you'll learn what it was like for her as nurse serving in the Navy, and how she has used her experiences to influence her career now as a civilian perioperative nurse.

🚨 SEASON 14 FINALE! 🚨 What happens before a surgeon steps into the OR? How do we know they're actually qualified to perform a procedure? 🤔 In the Season 14 finale of #FirstCase, we're pulling back the curtain on credentialing and privileging with Nyleen Flores, Chief Administrative Officer at Lake Oconee Orthopedics. She's diving deep into the gatekeeping process that protects patient safety—and trust us, there's a lot you probably don't know! 🎙️ Tune in as we discuss: ✅ The real process behind vetting surgeons and staff ✅ Why OR teams should question who is performing a case ✅ How credentialing can prevent medical disasters before they happen This conversation will change the way you see surgical care. Don't miss it! 🎧 #SurgicalSafety #PatientSafety #PerioperativeNursing #HealthcarePodcast #OperatingRoom

Suture is something every OR professional encounters daily, yet many of us were never properly taught how much about them. Why is suture sizing so confusing? What's the difference between absorbable and non-absorbable sutures, and when should each be used? In this episode of First Case, we're diving deep into the world of suture, breaking down monofilament vs. multifilament options, discussing how suture coatings impact healing, and uncovering common mistakes that could affect patient outcomes. Whether you're a seasoned perioperative professional or just starting out, this conversation will give you the confidence to navigate suture selection like a pro. Tune in now! #operatingroom #ornurse #scrubtech #surgery #perioperative

Trendelenburg is a common position in the OR, but are we truly positioning patients safely? In this episode of First Case, we welcome back David Gomez, nurse anesthetist and CEO of Infinitus Medical, to uncover the risks, misconceptions, and best practices for safe Trendelenburg positioning. In today's episode we'll discuss: 🔹 Why degree and duration matter more than you think 🔹 The hidden dangers of extreme angles and prolonged positioning 🔹 Common injuries - compartment syndrome, brachial plexus damage, and skin shearing 🔹 How to advocate for safer practices despite OR hierarchies 🔹 The role of proper positioning devices and what to avoid Join us as David shares real-world stories, research-backed insights, and practical solutions. #operatingroom #ornurse #trendelenburg #crna #scrubtech #surgery #patientpositioning

Positioning patients in the OR isn't just about access to the surgical site—it's about preventing serious injuries. From nerve damage and tissue ischemia to long-term functional impairment, improper positioning can have devastating consequences. But with the right knowledge and attention to detail, many of these injuries are completely preventable. Tune in as Chris and Melanie break down the risks, the science behind positioning injuries, and the steps you can take to keep your patients safe. Don't miss it! 🎧 #operatingroom #ornurse #scrubtech #patientpositioning #podcast #perioperative

Are all of the PPE rules we have in the OR really necessary? Joining us this week to uncover the purpose behind the rules and guidelines is Jill Holdsworth, Infection Prevention Manager at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia. Tune in as Jill breaks down the basics of PPE and its critical role in the OR. We'll discuss common PPE items and unpack the reasons WHY our PPE is essential for patient and staff safety. And of course, we'll tackle the ever-controversial bouffant-over-scrub-cap debate! Don't miss this informative episode!

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 become acceptable by many perioperative professionals. We'll also discuss the critical do's and don'ts of sterile field management, and reveal some of the tips and tricks we've picked up along the way. Tune in now! #operatingroom #ornurse #perioperative #surgicaltechnologist #scrubtech #scrub #bestpractice

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 documentation made or broke the case, and discover the broader purpose of documentation that goes beyond legal protection. Proper documentation isn't just a task—it's a tool for patient safety, supply chain efficiency, and telling the patient's story. Join us for an insightful discussion about why accurate charting is essential for both patient care and professional practice. #operatingroom #ornurse #surgery #perioperative #scrubtech

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 unpack the "why" behind them. Chris shines a light on the frustrations caused by poor communication, touching on pref cards, supply handling, and the importance of sharing critical information to the entire team Meanwhile, Melanie challenges the long-standing bouffant and scrub cap debate, breaking down its origins, the changes over time, and whether this rule still holds up to current evidence. Get ready for an engaging, thought-provoking episode that sets the tone for a season full of questioning, learning, and maybe even a little myth-busting. Tune in and let's uncover the "why" together! #operatingroom #ornurse #surgery #perioperative #scrubtech #surgicaltechnologist

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 Espunes Mestres. Esther has a great story to share with us, so tune in and learn what it's like to train and be an OR nurse in Spain! #operatingroom #ornurse #perioperativenursesweek #nurse #perioperative #perioperative

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 it's like to be a nurse in S. Africa! Andrew will also tell us about the differences he's observed in perioperative nursing after having worked in both S. Africa and the US. #operatingroom #ornurse #perioperativenursesweek #nurse #perioperative #perioperativenurse

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 Zealand to learn more about perioperative nursing from Cassie Scott! Tune in to learn more about nursing education and training in Australia, and to hear about Cassie's current experiences in New Zealand. We'll also talk about her time as a travel nurse and her experiences working in Ireland and England. Don't miss this exciting interview and stayed tuned the rest of this month for more! #operatingroom #perioperativenurse #perioperativenurses #ornurse #nurse #surgery

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 what nursing education was like for Helen, how much exposure she was given to the OR, and what it was like to work in an operating room in England. We'll also learn about some differences that she observed between England and the United States after she immigrated to the US and began working in the USA. Don't miss this exciting interview and stayed tuned the rest of this month for more! #operatingroom #perioperativenurse #perioperativenurses #ornurse #nurse #surgery

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). Tune in to understand the clinical guidelines for patient skin antisepsis and learn how 3M™ SoluPrep™ S Sterile Antiseptic Solution chlorhexidine gluconate (2% w/v) and isopropyl alcohol (70% v/v) Patient Preoperative Skin Preparation stands out. From providing rapid, broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection1†, helping to enhance incise drape adhesion*, and visibility on a variety of skin tones3, this skin prep is a breakthrough solution. Plus, it provides a larger coverage area than the leading CHG and alcohol-based skin prep (26 mL applicator)3¶. At Solventum, fomerly 3M Health Care, we create breakthrough solutions for our customers' toughest challenges by pioneering game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material, and data science to change patients' lives for the better — while enabling healthcare professionals to perform at their best. For more information about SoluPrep S Sterile Antiseptic Solution or to connect with a Solventum Representative visit SoluPrep S at go.solventum.com/SoluprepSFirstCase You can also follow Solventum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #operatingroom #skinprep #surgicalskinprep #skinantisepsis #surgery #perioperative #ornurse #scrubtech #surgeon † Study was performed on healthy volunteers under simulated surgical conditions. * Compared to skin prepped with ChloraPrep® with 3M™ Ioban™ 2 Antimicrobial Incise Drapes in a simulated knee surgery model, 2019. ¶Compared to ChloraPrep®, 2021. 1. The clinical significance of in vitro data is unknown. 2. Olson L, Morse D, Paulson J, Bernatchez S. Evaluation of Incise Drape Lift Using 2% Gluconate/ 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Preoperative Skin Preparations in a Human Volunteer Knee Model. 2022;15:24-28. 3. Solventum internal data on file.

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 Medical Center, Tennessee We're talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of being the charge nurse along with the responsibilities and expectations of the role. We'll also discuss what training normally looks like, what it should look like, and highlight the many resources available within the department to help when things get rough. Tune in to learn what the OR Charge Nurse role is all about! #operatingroom #ornurse #chargenurse #nurse

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 the medical field and 13 years of operational experience in an FDA-regulated environment as a third party processor of surgical linens and instrumentation. From this, Bryan has developed keen insights into commercially managed reprocessing facilities. For the last 8 years, Bryan has provided consulting services to hospitals to improve processes and instrument tray streamlining. His solutions are driven by hands-on set reviews and data-driven solutions bringing the clinical and processing teams together for a mutually beneficial rationalization of instrument trays and process improvements. ----- 💡𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗚𝗼 presents perioperative insights from industry experts in a creative, easy to listen to, audio format. Think audio book meets busy Operating Room professional! #FirstCase #Podcast #OperatingRoom #Surgery #ORExpert #perioperative #instrumentcentralization #sterileprocessing

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 provide a short guided relaxation exercise for us, so don't miss it! #operatingroom #ornurse #scrubtech #surgicaltechnologist #perioperative #perioperativenurse #yoga #yogainnursing

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 Vendor Spotlight™ co-release episode, we sit down with Lawayne Perkins, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Advantage Support Services, to explore their team's comprehensive approach to Operating Room and Sterile Processing staffing and consulting. Learn how Advantage's team of industry experts are helping departments build sustainable workforces through strategic staffing, customized training, and quality assessments. Tune in today to discover how Advantage Support Services can help your OR or SPD not only meet your current needs but also set your team up for long-term success! Ready to make Advantage your first call? Visit advantagesupportservices.com, or call 615-341-6222 for more info! Plus, don't forget to follow them on LinkedIn and subscribe to their digital newsletter, "The Executive Edge" for the latest updates!

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 operational experience in an FDA-regulated environment as a third party processor of surgical linens and instrumentation. From this, Bryan has developed keen insights into commercially managed reprocessing facilities. For the last 8 years, Bryan has provided consulting services to hospitals to improve processes and instrument tray streamlining. His solutions are driven by hands-on set reviews and data-driven solutions bringing the clinical and processing teams together for a mutually beneficial rationalization of instrument trays and process improvements. ----- 💡𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗚𝗼 presents perioperative insights from industry experts in a creative, easy to listen to, audio format. Think audio book meets busy Operating Room professional! #FirstCase #Podcast #OperatingRoom #Surgery #ORExpert #perioperative #instrumentcentralization #sterileprocessing

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 Suzi Collins, Director of Supply Chain Analytics at Banner Health. We'll discuss the difference between manufacturing date and expiration date, discuss the cost of expired supplies, and learn why awareness is the key to preventing product loss because of expired supplies. Don't miss today's interview! #operatingroom #ornurse #nurse #scrubtech #surgicaltechnologist #supplychain #expirationdate