First Case Podcast

Cardiac surgery is definitely its own specialty, and not all perioperative professionals are familiar with the CVOR. But we're all familiar with the fundamentals of infection prevention. Here to highlight the specifics of infection prevention in cardiac surgery is Ruth Statchura, MBA, RN, Vice President of Business Development at C Change Surgical. In this episode, we'll discuss some of the common areas of infection risk, how we can avoid increasing those risks, and we'll uncover the changes in cardiac surgery that are improving patient outcomes. Tune in now!

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#operatingroom #surgery #podcast #perioperative #infectionprevention #CVOR #safesurgery #CardiacSurgery

When seconds matter and the unexpected becomes routine, trauma teams rise to the challenge. In this First Case Articles On-The-Go: Top 10 Trauma Surgery, Lindsay Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR, highlights the foundational principles every perioperative professional should understand when facing trauma.

From constant readiness and mastering Massive Transfusion Protocols to supporting anesthesia, coordinating multi-specialty teams, and preparing for both lifesaving intervention and end-of-life care, trauma surgery demands adaptability, precision, and true teamwork. Whether you work in a designated trauma center or a facility that only occasionally sees critical injuries, preparation is essential because trauma can happen anytime, anywhere.

This episode offers a practical starting point to strengthen your trauma readiness and reinforce the collaborative mindset required to deliver the best possible outcomes when it matters most.

#operatingroom #traumasurgery #ornurse #scrub #scrubtech #perioperative

As we wrap Season 18 of First Case, we turn the spotlight to the role that keeps everything moving behind the scenes: the Clinical Coordinator.

In our final episode, Rod McArdle of Boston Children's Hospital shares how clinical coordinators balance scheduling, staffing, equipment, and real-time problem solving to keep surgical care running safely and efficiently. From anticipating equipment conflicts to coordinating with SPD, surgeons, and frontline teams, they are coordinating the moving pieces, communicating across teams, and thinking five steps ahead so the rest of us can focus on the patient in front of us.

This episode brings our entire season full circle, highlighting the teamwork required across departments to make surgery happen every day.

#operatingroom #ornurse #nurse #scrubtech #surgery #clinicalcoordinator

Caring for pediatric surgical patients requires more than simply adapting adult practices. It demands a specialized, family-centered approach. In this First Case: Articles On-The-Go episode, Lindsay Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR, walks through essential fundamentals every perioperative nurse should know, from maintaining a warm OR and using weight-based medication dosing to protecting delicate skin, preparing for malignant hyperthermia, and partnering closely with child life specialists.

The episode also highlights the emotional side of pediatric care, supporting not just the child, but the parents, while emphasizing the importance of communication, trust, and pediatric-specific competencies like PALS and NRP. Whether you work in a large children's hospital, community facility, or ASC, this practical Top 10 is a strong foundation for delivering safe, compassionate care to our smallest patients.

#operatingroom #pediatrics #ornurse #scrubtech #surgery

"Where are your trays?"

Few phrases spike stress levels faster, and often, all eyes turn to the person in the red hat. But what really happens behind the scenes before those trays ever reach your back table?

In this powerful Operation: Collaboration episode, we pull back the curtain with medical device regional sales manager Bruce Finney to reveal the real world of vendor reps: high-pressure preparation, complex logistics, split-second problem solving, and the constant balance of being both essential to the team and still a guest in the room.

From implants and instrumentation to communication breakdowns and OR realities, this conversation will change how you see the role of the rep and why true surgical success depends on collaboration from everyone involved.

Listen now and step into the OR from the other side of the red hat.

#operatingroom #ornurse #vendor #scrubtech #surgery #collaboration

This week, we're stepping outside the OR and into the world of Facilities, the department quietly powering everything from air and water to electricity, pressure, and environmental safety. Without them, surgeries simply don't happen.

Join us as we talk with seasoned facilities consultant Kathy Neal about how Facilities' teams keep the surgical environment safe, compliant, and running through power outages, HVAC challenges, regulatory demands, and even natural disasters. This conversation is a powerful reminder that collaboration across departments is what truly makes patient care possible.

Tune in to learn more about the team working behind the walls, above the ceilings, and beneath the floors.

#operatingroom #collaboration #surgery #ornurse #scrubtech

We might not be celebrating Perioperative Nurses Week this week, but we've always got time to shine a spotlight on perioperative nursing.

In this week's Articles On-The-Go, Lindsey Joyce, MSN, RN, CNOR shares her own journey into perioperative nursing. From thinking the ICU was her forever home to finding unexpected inspiration in the operating room, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the path we don't plan is the one that fits us best.

Whether you took a traditional route, jumped straight into the OR, or are still figuring out where you belong, this one's for you. Come along with Lindsey and reflect on what sparked your own curiosity and why you chose the OR.

#operatingroom #ornurse #surgery #scrubtech

Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the 'black door' between the OR and pharmacy? 👀💊

In this week's First Case interview, we sit down with Zahara, an experienced inpatient pharmacist from San Diego, to uncover the unseen work that keeps surgical care safe and moving. From medication shortages and regulatory compliance to constant audits, refills, and real-time problem solving, Zahara shares how pharmacy and the OR intersect every single day, and why better communication can remove barriers and protect patients on both sides of the red line.

#operatingroom #ornurse #pharmacy #scrub #scrubtech

This week our Operation: Collaboration season continues with a deep dive into the often-unseen world of the Lab. In this episode, former laboratory associate supervisor turned OR nurse Anna Goodman bridges both sides of the specimen cup, breaking down cultures versus permanents, demystifying frozen sections, and explaining how real-time communication between the OR, pathology, and blood bank can directly shape surgical decisions and patient outcomes. From "deli slicer" histology humor to the critical role of accurate labeling and coordination, this conversation highlights just how intertwined every department is when it comes to delivering safe, timely care.

#operatingroom #ornurse #surgery #laboratory #scrubtech #nurse

Sterile processing doesn't run on magic, despite what we may sometimes think. In today's interview, we're joined by Angela Benson, a sterile processing education specialist, to talk about what really happens to our instruments long before they ever reach the back table.

From decontamination and assembly to sterilization, documentation, and case cart build, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the complex, detail-driven work that makes surgery possible. We also dive into common points of miscommunication, misconceptions about SPD, and how simple things, like better communication, pre-treatment, and mutual respect, can make a huge difference for teams on both sides of the red line.

#operatingroom #ornurse #sterileprocessing #scrubtech #surgery