Perioperative nurses bring vital skills in patient safety, infection control, and quality improvement. They enhance surgical outcomes and support health care systems during complex, high-risk procedures.
Celebrating Periop Nurses Week
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) President Nakeisha Tolliver, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CNOR, CSSM, and AORN CEO/Executive Director, Linda Groah, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN, wrote this article in conjunction with Periop Nurses Week (November 10 to 16, 2024).
During Perioperative Nurses Week from November 10 to 16, 2024, we encourage you to recognize the invaluable contributions of your perioperative nurses and nurse leaders. Their specialized clinical skills and knowledge protect your patients from adverse outcomes—and safeguard one of the most important revenue drivers for your health system.
AORN CEO/Executive Director, Linda Groah, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN
(Photo credit: AORN)
As you know too well, managing highly complex surgical services is far more than space, labor, and supplies. At the most crucial time in a patient’s life, your periop nurses bring the clinical edge in understanding all the intersecting variables necessary for safe care while mitigating costly risks.
Both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission standards require that a nurse (or MD/DO) with specialized perioperative clinical experience supervise the operating room for several reasons:
AORN President Nakeisha Tolliver, DNP, MBA, RN, NE-BC, CNOR, CSSM
(Photo credit: AORN)
All these qualifications and contributions underscore why AORN believes perioperative nurses are uniquely suited for the surgical services director role. For surgical services leaders without the recommended direct perioperative experience, AORN is here to support your efforts in fostering a balanced approach to decision-making, enhancing both care and efficiencies.
Together We Rise: Why AORN Expo 2025 Is a Must for Every Perioperative Nurse
March 31st 2025From April 5 to 8, 2025, thousands of perioperative nurses will gather in Boston for the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo—a transformational experience designed to elevate nursing practice, build lifelong connections, and advance surgical care.
Vet IP Roundtable 2: Infection Control and Biosecurity Challenges in Veterinary Care
March 31st 2025Veterinary IPs highlight critical gaps in cleaning protocols, training, and biosecurity, stressing the urgent need for standardized, animal-specific infection prevention practices across diverse care settings.
Invisible, Indispensable: The Vital Role of AHRQ in Infection Prevention
March 25th 2025With health care systems under strain and infection preventionists being laid off nationwide, a little-known federal agency stands as a last line of defense against preventable patient harm. Yet the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is now facing devastating cuts—threatening decades of progress in patient safety.