William Duffy,    RN, MJ, CNOR, FAAN, Director for the Health Systems Management, Loyola University

William Duffy, RN, MJ, CNOR, FAAN, Director for the Health Systems Management, Loyola University

An urban legend is a myth that is believed to be true. This myth is enhanced when the teller is viewed as someone reliable. This talk examines some urban legends that are repeated by perioperative personnel and some industry representatives about the use and the processing of surgical instrumentation, implants and equipment that when employed can actually harm the patient and cost the organization thousands of dollars in instrument repair costs. Participants will examine the urban legend and explore the truth regarding proper use and care for the expensive equipment that plays a significant role in patients’ outcomes.


William Duffy is currently the director for the health systems management master of science in nursing program at Loyola University of Chicago’s Marcella Neihoff School of Nursing. He is a nurse executive with over 30 years of leadership experience as a Magnet chief nursing officer and director of perioperative services.

He has authored numerous articles and presented internationally on health law, leadership, patient safety and patient satisfaction topics. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and is a past president of the AORN. During his term as president, he led the association’s effort to reduce wrong site surgery through the introduction of the timeout toolkit that was adopted across the globe.