AORN CEO on the Future of Nursing, Guidelines, and Purpose-Driven Practice

“When you work with purpose, it changes everything.”

For AORN CEO and Executive Director David Wyatt, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, FAORN, FAAN, perioperative nursing has always been about more than skills and protocols—it’s about purpose. And he believes AORN’s most powerful role is helping nurses reconnect to that purpose through its evidence-based Guidelines.

When nurses know their practice is grounded in the best available evidence, they’re not just prepared—they’re confident, focused, and energized. AORN’s Guidelines, Dr. Wyatt says, aren’t just best practices. They help nurses cut through the noise, stay connected to their “why,” and deliver safe, excellent care, even in challenging environments.

“When nurses have access to evidence-based resources that support confident practice, they reconnect with why they became nurses in the first place,” Dr. Wyatt said. “That sense of purpose creates energy—and energy is what counteracts burnout. Part of AORN’s role is helping nurses tap into that.”

By making these resources accessible, actionable, and trusted for its members, he says AORN helps nurses show up each day with purpose—and with the confidence that comes from evidence.

Making the Guidelines Essential, Not Optional

So, what is Dr. Wyatt’s boldest vision for AORN? That no hospital or surgical facility would ever consider providing perioperative care without AORN Guidelines.

“These Guidelines are the foundation of our organization,” he said. “They are evidence-based and trusted, and yet they still aren’t in enough hospitals. We want every nurse and every facility to see them not as a nice-to-have, but as essential. That’s the mindset shift we’re working toward: ‘Here are the Guidelines, and your patients deserve the best.’”

To make that vision a reality for its members, AORN is focusing not only on the content of the Guidelines but on how nurses and teams experience them. Usability, Dr. Wyatt notes, is the linchpin.

“You can have the best tools in the world, but if members or students can’t easily access them, they won’t be used,” he said. “We’re investing in the user experience to make sure our content is accessible and intuitive to navigate. That’s how we protect and amplify the value of the Guidelines.”

Meeting Gen Z Where They Learn

With Gen Z entering the workforce and seasoned nurses adjusting to new learning norms, AORN is evolving how it delivers education. Dr. Wyatt emphasizes that while the content remains rigorous and evidence-based, the formats are changing.

“We know that nurses today don’t learn the way they used to,” he said. “Whether you're Gen Z or a Baby Boomer, learning styles have changed, and we’re evolving right alongside them.”

That evolution includes tools like Periop Clips, which offer short, mobile-friendly education, and CineMed videos, which provide on-demand training in formats that suit today’s learners.

“We have several people on our team who are experts in adult learning, including Dr. Alicia Viera, whose PhD focused on adult education, and Dr. Colleen Becker, who holds a PhD with a focus on research and a minor in informatics and adult education. They challenge us to rethink how we structure and deliver education,” he said.

“We’re a little different from hospitals because they often focus on learning content alone. At AORN, we focus just as much on how that content reaches the learner.”

Preparing for an AI-Enhanced Future

Looking ahead, Dr. Wyatt sees artificial intelligence as one of the most significant forces shaping the future of perioperative practice—and AORN is taking an active role in helping nurses prepare.

“AORN’s role is not to help design the AI technology,” he said. “But we are here to define the practice guardrails. It’s not about replacing nurses—it’s about making sure AI enhances their ability to do their work.”

This year, AORN President Darlene Murdock, MSN, BBA, RN, CNOR, CSSM, launched a task force on the use of artificial intelligence in the perioperative setting. AORN is also developing both a new Guideline and a position statement to help ensure nurses can safely and confidently integrate AI into their practice.

“Our job is to lead that conversation so nurses aren’t chasing the technology, but shaping how it supports safe care,” Dr. Wyatt said.

Bridging the Gap Between What Facilities Need and What Individual Nurses Need

With experience in both hospital operations and AORN governance, Dr. Wyatt says the organization is addressing both sides of the equation through three key priorities: evidence-based Guidelines, workforce development across the career span, and interdisciplinary partnerships.

“That workforce development is from the entry of a brand-new nurse to practice, all the way through leadership training and development as a senior nurse,” Dr. Wyatt said. “Our resources span that whole continuum.”

He noted that one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare organizations is supporting a growing number of new nurses.

“They have to figure out how to onboard them efficiently, engage them effectively, and ultimately retain them. That’s where our resources really help,” he said.

The Center of Excellence model reflects AORN’s third focus—supporting team collaboration across disciplines and improving performance systemwide.

“All of that is support that we do,” Dr. Wyatt said.

Modeling Equity in Practice and Leadership

AORN has also made equity and inclusion a core part of its strategy—not just in membership, but across leadership pathways and internal operations.

“We’ve seen increasing diversity in our membership, which is encouraging,” Dr. Wyatt said.

“But we know it’s not just about numbers. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are part of how we design our programs and build our team. They’re part of our DNA.”