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AORN The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses is the national association committed to improving patient safety in the surgical setting.

We're very excited to share that the American Academy of Nursing recently inducted Dr. Colleen Becker, AORN's senior dir...
10/16/2026

We're very excited to share that the American Academy of Nursing recently inducted Dr. Colleen Becker, AORN's senior director of perioperative education, as a Fellow, one of the highest honors in the nursing profession

For Dr. Becker, the recognition reflects years of work focused on perioperative nursing education, workforce development, patient outcomes, and safe surgical care.

“This would be one of the highest honors of my professional career,” she said. “It represents recognition not only of my individual contributions, but also of the collective efforts of the colleagues, mentors, and teams with whom I have had the privilege to work throughout my nursing journey.”

Our CEO and Executive Director, David Wyatt, called her induction a testament to her leadership, expertise, and unwavering commitment to excellence in nursing.

“We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved achievement and look forward to her continued influence in shaping the future of perioperative nursing and healthcare,” he said.

We're incredibly proud of Dr. Becker and the impact she continues to make on AORN and the perioperative nursing profession. Please join us in congratulating her on this outstanding achievement.

Accurately measuring blood loss during surgery can save lives. Quantitative blood loss (QBL) measurement has become an e...
10/16/2026

Accurately measuring blood loss during surgery can save lives.

Quantitative blood loss (QBL) measurement has become an evidence-based standard in obstetrics, improving the detection and management of postpartum hemorrhage by replacing traditional visual estimates. But its benefits extend beyond obstetric care.

In the surgical setting, inaccurate blood loss estimation can delay hemorrhage recognition, contribute to inappropriate transfusion decisions, and increase the risk of preventable patient harm. Adopting QBL as an intraoperative standard offers a more objective approach that can support timely clinical decision-making and improve patient safety.

Successful implementation requires more than new technology. A structured, multidisciplinary strategy should include:
• Standardized measurement methods
• Clearly defined team roles
• Integration into existing workflows
• Staff education and competency training
• Ongoing audit and feedback processes

When paired with patient blood management initiatives, QBL can help teams respond more effectively to bleeding events and optimize resource utilization.

As surgical care continues to evolve, broader adoption of QBL across specialties may be an important step toward safer, more evidence-based perioperative practice.
Read more in this AORN Journal article: https://aornjournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aorn.70155

October Just Became the Best Time to Register for AORN Expo. AORN Expo 2027 registration is now open. And this month, we...
10/14/2026

October Just Became the Best Time to Register for AORN Expo.

AORN Expo 2027 registration is now open.

And this month, we're giving you a reason to move "register later" to the top of your list.

Register in October for a chance to win:

A 4-night hotel stay

A $400 gift card

Because Philly is exciting.

Winning your way there is even better.

Link: https://bit.ly/3TCkYtL

10/13/2026

Atlanta Nurses! Want to learn from the authors who wrote the AORN Guidelines? The Guidelines Workshops are coming to town and it's not too late to reserve your spot.

Earn 4.5 CE credits while getting hands-on experience and expert-led education. Join us on Oct. 17 where we'll cover surgical smoke, RSI, patient warming and positioning, and bleeding management.

Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Medtronic, and Xodus.

You do not want to miss this event! Register now: https://bit.ly/3rQSpdS

Question: Can a stretcher used for a patient with Candida auris be placed in a hallway?✅ Answer: Because Candida auris c...
10/11/2026

Question: Can a stretcher used for a patient with Candida auris be placed in a hallway?

✅ Answer: Because Candida auris can persist on environmental surfaces and shared equipment, perioperative personnel should consider whether placing the stretcher in a corridor poses an unnecessary risk of transmission to others or cross-contamination of equipment in the area.
Before placing the stretcher in a hallway or other common area, personnel should remove and contain used linens without shaking them, clean and disinfect bed rails and exposed mattress surfaces that others may inadvertently touch and perform hand hygiene after removing personal protective equipment.

Cleaning and disinfection should be performed using an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against Candida auris. After cleaning and disinfection, clean linens should be placed on the stretcher, and contact precautions signage should remain in place to remind personnel of necessary protective measures when handling contaminated surfaces or patient belongings.

Source: Amber Wood, DNP, RN, CNOR, CIC, EBP-C, FAPIC, senior perioperative practice specialist and guideline author at AORN.

❓ Do you have a question you want to ask? Members may consult with nurse specialists from AORN's Center for Nursing Practice on clinical questions. Call 800-755-2676 on Tuesdays from 9am–1pm MT. Please have your AORN membership number available when you call.

Recently, the perioperative nursing community lost a beacon, Brenda Ulmer, who served patients and AORN throughout her m...
10/10/2026

Recently, the perioperative nursing community lost a beacon, Brenda Ulmer, who served patients and AORN throughout her more than 50-year career. During 2000-2001, AORN was privileged to have her serve as our Board of Directors President where she left a long list of achievements that still and will always impact the perioperative nursing profession.

Brenda, a 2020 Fellows of AORN inductee, embodied our mission and commitment to patient safety. Numerous accomplishments define her career, especially her work on surgical smoke.

She served three terms on the Board of Directors, and worked with OSHA, NIOSH, ANA, and physicians and nurses to facilitate workplace safety guidelines on smoke evacuation. Her work as the legislative chair for the Georgia Council of Perioperative Nurses resulted in enacted surgical smoke evacuation bills in Georgia in 2022. In addition, she acted as the subject matter expert on AORN’s Go Clear Smoke Recognition Award program and hosted multiple sessions on smoke at AORN Expo.

She also served as AORN representative to SAGES Fundamental Use of Energy in Surgery Committee (FUSE) during the development of their electrosurgery certification exam and was an inaugural Board of Directors member on the International Council on Surgical Plume (ICSP).

At Congress In 2006, Brenda received AORN’s highest honor: the Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing, which recognizes someone whose work and accomplishments have had global implications on the profession. And more recently, she received the Georgia Council of perioperative Registered Nurses’ Perioperative Nurse of the Year award in 2023.

During her career, Brenda also presented numerous programs on patient safety and nursing issues throughout the world, contributed to numerous nursing journals/text, and published one of the first nursing texts on ambulatory surgery in 1983.

We’re proud to have called Brenda both a colleague and a friend. Please keep her family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Thank you, Brenda, for everything you gave to our profession and for the many lives you touched along the way.

What if standardization could help your perioperative team work smarter, not harder? Join us for Standardizing for Scale...
10/09/2026

What if standardization could help your perioperative team work smarter, not harder?

Join us for Standardizing for Scale: Improving Efficiency, Coordination, and Access, and discover how creating greater consistency from pre-op through room turnover can help reduce variation, streamline workflows, improve patient access, and support stronger financial performance.

Dec. 2 | 1pm | 1 CH

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn strategies you can bring back to your organization.

Register today: https://bit.ly/4i2EJE6

What If Saying "Yes" to AORN Expo Came with a Reward? AORN Expo 2027 registration isn't open yet. But your chance to win...
10/09/2026

What If Saying "Yes" to AORN Expo Came with a Reward?

AORN Expo 2027 registration isn't open yet.

But your chance to win FREE registration starts now.

Sign up to receive registration updates and be automatically entered.

Sometimes the best opportunities start with one click.

https://bit.ly/3VYkKh8

The October issue of the AORN Journal is available online! This Special Focus Issue on Safety and Quality includes 4.3 C...
10/08/2026

The October issue of the AORN Journal is available online! This Special Focus Issue on Safety and Quality includes 4.3 CH free to members.

What’s Inside:
✅ Championing Quality and Safety Through Perioperative Nurse Advocacy
✅ A Case Report to Explore A Wrong‐Site Surgery Error
✅ Intraoperative Quantitative Blood Loss: Best Practices From Obstetrics
✅ Strategies to Improve Compliance With Smoke Safety
✅ Optimizing the Role of Doctor of Nursing Practice–Prepared Perioperative Nurses in Quality and Safety

Also in this issue:
💡Safety First: Preventing Surgical Illumination Thermal Injury
💡ASC Insights: Giving Back Through Volunteering
💡How to Promote Civil Behavior in the OR

Let us know which articles you are most looking forward to reading below. https://aornjournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/18780369/2026/124/4

Not a member? Join today and get full access to the AORN Journal. https://lnkd.in/gTRVP8Yg

Cover Photo Caption: By emphasizing the importance of consistent adherence to established processes, effective time-out procedures, clear communication, and system-based strategies, the risk of surgical errors can be mitigated.

The Accelerate Perioperative Leadership Workshop kicked off Sept. 25 in Chicago, and it was a huge success! These periop...
10/07/2026

The Accelerate Perioperative Leadership Workshop kicked off Sept. 25 in Chicago, and it was a huge success! These perioperative leaders took a deep dive into operational improvement strategies while earning 4.25 CE credits and a White Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

There are still seats open for our Atlanta and San Francisco events - Register Now: https://bit.ly/4cZzimj

Sponsored by Conmed and Stryker

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2170 S Parker Road, Ste 300
Denver, CO
80231

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