Perioperative Nurses Week November 8-14, 2026
Building Together During Perioperative Nurse's Week
Perioperative Nurses Week is all about you. The work you do. The people you support. And the moments that have stayed with you throughout your career. This year's theme, Building Together, is a reminder that none of us does this alone. We spend our shifts learning from each other, and many times, leaning on one another. We pass along what we know, and we help make the path a little easier for the nurses coming next.
So, this week, take a moment to recognize how far you've come and the people who helped you get there. Join us in honoring everyone who makes perioperative care possible every day.
While you're here, share a memorable moment or advice you would give your younger self, find free resources for your team, and discover ways to advocate, connect, and show your perioperative pride.
Let's Celebrate All Perioperative Nurses
We have an exciting contest planned for you this fall. Keep checking back for updates.
Share Your Perioperative Pride
This year, we're focused on "Building Together." Let's celebrate this amazing profession and your colleagues with a downloadable poster, cake topper, and social media images.
- Hang the periop pride poster in your facility
- Dive into something delicious (cake topper/cupcake topper)
Honor a Mentor, Friend, or Colleague
Recognize someone who has inspired you with a donation to the AORN Foundation in their name. Support the AORN Foundation's mission of empowering perioperative nurses to improve patient safety and create safer workplaces through education and research
Make a Difference Together:
Your gift helps the AORN Foundation provide vital resources and education to perioperative nurses.
Be an Advocate
Perioperative Nurses Week is the perfect time to share more information about the important work you do with elected officials and your community. You can be an advocate for the profession by sending an email to your legislators, submitting a letter to your local media, or requesting a proclamation.
About Perioperative Nurses Week
Perioperative Nurses Week is an annual observance held each November to recognize the essential role perioperative nurses play in patient safety before, during, and after surgery. Established in 1979 by AORN as OR Nurse Day, the recognition was created to highlight the clinical expertise, critical thinking, and advocacy required in the operating room and across the surgical continuum of care.
Originally developed to educate the public about the role of the perioperative nurse, the observance later expanded into OR Nurse Week and became Perioperative Nurses Week in 2000. Today, it continues to elevate awareness of perioperative nursing through celebrations, educational outreach, advocacy efforts, and opportunities for teams and communities to recognize the impact perioperative nurses have on safe surgical care every day.
