Contamination of the C-arm drape happens fast—especially at the top of the image intensifier during lateral positioning. AORN’s expert shares where contamination risks are highest and how to reduce exposure using safer draping techniques and practices from the Guideline for Sterile Technique.
Discover what it takes for perioperative nurse executives to lead beyond the OR. David Wyatt, CEO and Executive Director of AORN, shares insights on executive leadership, strategic vision, and how nurse leaders can confidently step into the C-suite.
Staffing remains one of the most complex and persistent challenges perioperative nurse executives face, from daily coverage to long-term workforce planning. Fluctuating surgical volumes, siloed decision-making, and time-consuming manual workflows make it difficult to balance cost control, operational efficiency, and staff satisfaction.
Test your general perioperative knowledge with this crossword puzzle.
One of the best perks of working in the OR is the team. Everyone knows their job and does it well. But what do you do when someone refuses to be a team player? Here are three tips (and one absolutely essential skill) to deal with inhibitory attitudes in the OR.
Entering unfamiliar surgical procedures as an orientee or recently trained nurse can be daunting. Utilize the preference card as a resource to alleviate fears and position yourself to anticipate the needs of the surgical team.
Caring for patients through their surgical journey is a big job—families and loved ones trust us and believe that evidence-based care will be delivered. So, speak up and continue to ask questions until you have the knowledge you need to take care of the patients under your watch.
OR delays can compromise sterility. Following AORN’s evidence-based strategies—like covering tables and limiting traffic—helps maintain a safe sterile field.
A routine relief shift turned into a powerful reminder of why surgical teams must never skip the Time Out. When a nurse noticed a mismatch between the consent and the patient’s account, her quick action—and her team's calm, collaborative response—prevented a wrong-site surgery.
Enhance your OR team's effectiveness with strategies for Code Blue response in the OR, reducing chaos and improving patient survival rates.
A multidisciplinary team transformed intraoperative emergency response by refining code protocols and implementing simulation-based training. Their approach empowers perioperative teams to respond confidently and effectively to airway complications and cardiac arrests.
AORN’s updated Guideline for Transmission-Based Precautions outlines evidence-based practices to reduce infection risk in the OR. From PPE selection to EID preparedness, the guideline helps teams strengthen safety protocols and stay compliant with national standards.
Multiple state legislatures take up the issue of surgical smoke in the operating room.
One nurse describes her years as a new nurse, the bullying she faced, and how she overcame the challenges she experienced to thrive as a perioperative nurse.
Encoding information for long-term storage is a strategy that we can apply to teaching methodologies. It helps improve information recall and subsequently knowledge transfer for our learners.
Ask any perioperative nurse, and they will tell you about a personal experience (or two) with a medical device failure. Therefore, knowing how to prevent and handle medical device errors is critical.
Codes are very stressful and emotional situations for everyone involved. Regardless of the outcome, sometimes you must keep going with your day.
As a new nurse asks for advice about how to bolster patients' trust in them and the team.
This article will provide some tips to help you navigate The Joint Commission onsite visits with ease and confidence.
