Team Lead and AORN President-elect make an impact in the OR

A nurse's leadership significantly influences patient surgical care.

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, we spotlight the role of a Team Lead who is also President-elect of the Baltimore chapter of the AORN. We also cover a trend with CGMs, a hospital on the verge of closure, and nurse lay-offs.

But first... a quick OR nursing hack:

---

Nurse Spotlight: Lisa Myers, RN BSN, CNOR, CNIII

What I do for work

I am the team lead at a hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, that specializes in women’s health. My area of expertise is gynecological surgery. My team includes scrub techs, nurses, and surgeons. As team lead, my job is to make sure that my team has everything they need, including equipment and supplies, to perform the scheduled surgeries. If there are any implants or special needs, I make sure that all of that is ordered prior to the patient's arrival in the operating room. I work very closely with central sterile to ensure that all instruments that we need for the case are ready to go. I also work very closely with the surgeon to help with any new equipment or instrument requests.

How I got here

I’m actually the first nurse in my family. I was a computer accounting major at first, but I ended up switching to nursing. I just felt like that was my path. I got my BSN from Stevenson University, and my practicum was in the OR. I knew immediately that’s what I wanted to do. After graduating, I worked on an orthopedic neuro floor as a special assistant, awaiting a job opening. There was no formative training program at the time that I graduated, but when the hospital offered an OR training program, I joined and went through 3 months of training about different procedures, instruments, and the different service lines. We were in class for a couple of months before we even set foot into the operating room, and then we were paired with a preceptor. After a couple of years, I got my CNO and became a certified OR nurse. I then became a member of the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses, for which I am now the President-elect of the Baltimore chapter.

---

Featured Jobs

🩺 Nursing Supervisor - Rheumatology, UCHealth Parker, CO ​Apply Now​ →​

☤ Nightshift Assistant Director of Nursing Labor and Delivery, MedStar Health Baltimore, MD ​Apply Now​ →​

♡ Nursing Policy Coordinator, Middlesex Health Middletown, CT ​Apply Now​ →​

💉 Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), a surgical facility Fresno, CA ​Apply Now​ →​

🩹 Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), an ambulatory & community health group Boston, MA ​Apply Now​ →​

🩸 Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), a prominent healthcare system Davenport, IA or Fort Wayne, IN ​Apply Now​ →​

​Create your free CollabWORK profile to get matched to nurse roles that fit your life (per diem, remote, travel, specific locations).

---

More on Lisa Myers

A day in my life

I typically work an eight or ten-hour shift. I usually get to work about 0630, and cases start at 0730. When I arrive in the morning, I look at the board and make sure that there are no changes from the day prior. We have a meeting at 0800 to discuss the following day of surgeries. Everybody gets together, and we discuss what the needs may be for the following day. I will go through each case cart for the surgeries of the day and check to make sure that all supplies and instruments that are needed are present. If not, I’ll replace anything that’s missing. I'll go into each room and I'll help them open up their cases in the morning. If I have a team that's starting that has fairly new nurses, that's where I try to concentrate my time, making sure that they understand what they need. I also write a monthly newsletter to keep the staff informed about what’s happening in the unit.

What aspect of your job do you find most rewarding

Providing great patient care is what is most rewarding to me. Just making sure that I know that my team in the operating room has what they need to perform the surgery so that the patient has the best outcomes, that is what is rewarding to me.

My self-care routine (or what I do for fun, or to relax)

Being with my family is my self-care routine. I have a very close-knit Italian family, and we're always together. I also love reading and crocheting.

---

Headlines in Healthcare

Rural Hospital on the Verge of Closing

Cuts to Medicaid threaten Pemiscot Memorial Hospital, a crucial healthcare provider in Missouri’s poorest county. Facing significant financial strain, this lifeline in Southeast Missouri is on the brink of collapse, raising concerns about the lasting impact on healthcare access in the region.

Continuous glucose monitor trending among non-diabetics

The quarter-sized device, once used only for managing diabetes, is gaining popularity among health-conscious individuals tracking how diet and activity affect sugar levels. Differing views between U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, and medical experts raise questions about the benefits for healthy individuals.

Kaiser Permanente plans to lay off Nurses by September

Kaiser Permanente has announced layoffs of 42 nurses at its outpatient clinics in California, citing financial pressures and rising operational costs, writes nurse.org. These cuts will affect various specialties, raising concerns among nurses about increased workload and potential compromises in patient safety.

---

Meet the author:
​Renee DLamini
(RN, BSN, Writer)

---

Want to be featured?

Are you a nurse looking to share your story? Share it with us here for a chance to be featured in Nurse Ascent!

---

CollabWORK is a community-powered hiring platform

CollabWORK connects job-seekers to roles shared in trusted spaces—like nurse-led Facebook groups, Slack channels, and industry newsletters. Create your account or log in to discover other roles in nursing, healthcare, and beyond.

---

---

Find us online, on social + listen to our media appearances

CollabWORK
300 E 57th St 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10022

​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​