How to Unlock Your Purchasing Power as a Perioperative Nurse

As a perioperative nurse, you already know your role in patient care is critical. But did you know you also have significant power when it comes to shaping purchasing decisions in your facility? The products, technologies, and tools you recommend impact not only the safety and efficiency of the OR but also the financial health of your hospital or surgical center.

It’s time to recognize your influence and make the most of your purchasing power. By leveraging your expertise and advocating for the products that truly benefit patient care, you can play a vital role in ensuring your facility invests in the best tools and technologies available.

How are nurses key decision-makers in product procurement?

Every day, you’re at the front lines of patient care, using a wide range of surgical instruments, devices, and supplies. Your hands-on experience gives you a unique understanding of what works best in the operating room – and what doesn’t. Hospital administrators and surgeons rely on your insights to make informed decisions about which products to invest in. Your voice matters. From selecting personal protective equipment (PPE) to evaluating cutting-edge surgical technologies, you bring firsthand knowledge and clinical experience to assess whether a product will improve patient outcomes and keep the OR running smoothly.

How do nurse recommendations influence hospital budgets?

Your input has a direct impact on your facility’s financial decisions. Surgical services can generate 50% to 60% of total hospital revenues. That means the products used in surgery—from basic tools to advanced equipment—have a major influence on the hospital’s bottom line.

When you participate in product evaluations or purchasing committees, your recommendations help guide spending in ways that benefit both patients and the organization. More important, making sure you share your firsthand knowledge of how a product affects patient safety, efficiency, or surgical outcomes helps your facility make cost-effective choices that support high-quality care.

Choosing products that align with guidelines and safety standards is not only about improving patient care, but it can also save you time, improve workflows, and reduce costly complications like surgical site infections or equipment failures.

How can nurses build relationships with vendors and purchasing committees?

Another powerful way you can influence purchasing decisions is by building relationships with vendors—and by participating actively in hospital value analysis or purchasing committees.

Value analysis committees bring multi-departmental professionals—finance, supply chain, administration, and clinical care—to review and approve product selections.

Your clinical perspective helps assess how well a product works in the OR, its effect on patient care, and its overall value in enhancing safety and efficiency. By actively participating in your facility’s purchasing process, you can ensure that the products being selected meet the needs of the clinical team and align with AORN’s safety guidelines.

Work with vendors

Vendors rely on feedback from healthcare professionals like you to improve their products. When you share your experiences, challenges, and needs with them, you give them valuable insights they can use to refine their offerings. This is where your expertise shines. As someone who uses these products daily, you can explain exactly what features or improvements would make a difference in the OR. Vendors value your feedback and often use it to guide future product developments.

Don’t hesitate to use your clout when working with vendors. If you know a product will enhance patient safety or improve efficiency, advocate for it. Vendors are often open to negotiating terms and making adjustments based on your needs, especially when you can clearly demonstrate how their product will support better patient care. Vendors are eager to align their offerings with the outcomes-focused priorities that you, as a perioperative nurse, understand best.

Empower Yourself to Make a Difference

As a perioperative nurse your role goes beyond the OR suite. You have the knowledge and the clout to make decisions that shape the future of healthcare.

Working closely with vendors and participating in value analysis committees enables you to be an even stronger advocate for the tools and technologies that work best for your team, your patients, and the health of your facility.

Embrace your purchasing power and continue to be a leader in improving patient care and safety.