Legislative Priorities

 The Association for PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), through a robust grassroots network,
promotes and responds to legislative issues that affect the practice of perioperative nursing and safety
in the surgical environment. AORN grassroots members work collaboratively with health care colleagues, partners,
and decision-makers to advance patient safety in all operative settings.

RN as Circulator: AORN maintains that every surgical patient deserves a perioperative registered nurse for the duration of any operative or other invasive procedure and actively promotes laws and regulations to ensure the supervisory presence of the professional RN in the perioperative setting both at the state and federal levels. AORN will seek support from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other regulatory bodies to ensure that the RN in the circulating role is continually protected for patient safety.

Preserving and Protecting the Perioperative Registered Nurse’s Scope of Practice: AORN will preserve and protect the Perioperative Nurses’ Scope of Practice at the state level by working with the appropriate regulatory and legislative bodies for language regarding education, certification, regulation, supervision, delegated nursing functions, roles, responsibilities, and duties. AORN will monitor, evaluate, and respond to any proposed legislative initiatives by allied health care professionals that may affect the perioperative nursing scope of practice and profession.

RNFA Financial Reimbursement: AORN will monitor and continue to evaluate a U.S. congressional initiative to amend current laws or regulations to secure Medicare reimbursement for the services of RNFAs. AORN will investigate, analyze, and respond to opportunities at the state level to ensure reimbursement for RNFAs by third-party payers.

Supporting Workplace Safety and Patient Safety Initiatives: AORN will protect the health and safety of nurses in the perioperative setting by supporting legislative and regulatory initiatives that create and maintain a safe perioperative work environment that promotes safe patient care. AORN encourages legislative and regulatory efforts to establish an accountable, trusting patient safety culture that reflects individual and collective values, beliefs, behaviors, and skills in the operating room at the state and federal levels.