Committees & Task Forces

Purpose

Promote excellence in perioperative nursing through recognition of individual members and groups (i.e. chapters) who have demonstrated distinction in service.

Initiatives:

1. Review and assess current awards to determine if the categories are still relevant, the online award application process, and the scoring mechanism and provide recommendation for change to the Board, including the dates applications open.   
2. Promote Individual Awards Process in Periop Today, Outpatient Surgery Magazine and on AORN Facebook to increase awareness / participation.
3. Promote Chapter Awards Process in coordination with Senior Manager of Chapter & State Relations
4. Score Chapter Award submissions and select recipients. 
5. Develop and implement a scoring tool for a new award: The Barba Edwards Innovation Award, to be awarded in 2026. 

Purpose

Review new and existing clinical nursing practice issues and develop strategies to assist perioperative nurses to implement successful practices.

Initiatives:

1. Update the Emergency Preparedness Tool Kit.
2. Record a webinar or an introductory video that could be used with the tool kit.
3. Revise the AORN Position Statement on Preventing Wrong-Patient, Wrong-Site, Wrong-Procedure Events.

Purpose:

Utilize a peer review process to review applications from constituents and non-constituents using the ANCC criteria.

Initiatives:  

1. Peer review continuing nursing education applications from constituents and non-constituents using ANCC criteria. 
2. Using ANCC criteria, provide feedback to applicants in a timely manner. 
3. Provide customer support regarding the approval process. 
4. Identify and suggest topics to AORN staff for webinars and to the AORN Journal from topics being requested. 
5. Educate membership on the AORN CEU approval process; provide a roadmap to successful submission to encourage more uptake, ideas include (not limited to) webinars, checklist, short videos etc.
6. Conduct a review of the performance improvement activities and make revisions in processes as appropriate. 
7. Evaluate the effectiveness of the overall approval unit.
• Consumers (i.e. applicants) 
• CEAC Members (aka nurse peer reviewers)-inter rater reliability 
• Nurses attending an approved activity  
8. Evaluate user feedback for the online application 
9. Incorporate changes to the ANCC criteria to the application process, as required. 

Purpose

Identify and select members as AORN Fellows.

Initiatives: 

1. Develop education module for website as reference for AORN members and sponsors on the Fellowship process 
2. Promote the AORN Fellowship in AORN communication and media channels 
3. Monitor and evaluate the selection process for the 2026 FAORN class
4. Make recommendations for modifications to the process, as appropriate
5. Make recommendations on the website based on feedback and committee insight to include at minimum
• Education criteria
• License number and state
• Resolve character count issues either with changes to website or added clarity to the instructions
6. Propose Expo program regarding the FAORN process.

Purpose

In collaboration with international colleagues, identify potential education sessions for a global education track at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo 2026.

Initiatives:

1. Review needs assessments of international participants and members. 
   1. Discuss “hot” international topics and feedback from 2024 attendees
   2. Recommend speakers for global track who will represent the 2025 them
   3. Review proposals submitted by international attendees
   4. Ensure two clinical practice areas are addressed, i.e. exploring the use of checklists, cultures of safety, or other important issues
2. Members attending the conference to serve as hosts and moderators for the global track sessions. 
3. Provide any feedback from global attendees through an electronic survey following the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo conclude. 

Purpose

To serve in an advisory capacity to the AORN staff when planning educational programs for the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo.

Initiatives:

1. Evaluate the need to revise and revamp proposal review/evaluation process to streamline the process for committee members, revise as needed.   
2. Review education needs assessment and feedback from education sessions held in 2025. 
3. Identify key categories of desired/requested content from needs assessment. 
4. Achieve goal of 25% of first-time presenters for Expo program (TBD after Expo 2025 evaluation review). 
5. Collaborate with marketing to develop a plan to encourage members to submit Research, DEI, Innovation, Clinical & Process Improvement, poster and podium abstracts for the 2026 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo. 
6. Provide feedback regarding poster abstracts by evaluating their alignment to the AORN Mission, Vision, Values, and “AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice”. 
7. Utilize the poster evaluation tool to select the Outstanding Clinical, Research, Innovation, Improvement/Innovation, and DEI submitted for the 2026 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo.  

Purpose

Reviewing, obtaining and providing input, and arriving at consensus on relevant, evidence-based Guidelines for Perioperative Practice.

Initiatives:

1. Review and critique draft documents, provide input, review public comments, and arrive at consensus on the following Guidelines:

• Guideline for Autologous Tissue
• Guideline for Instrument Cleaning
• Guideline for Laser Safety
• Guideline for Care of the Patient Receiving Local-Only Anesthesia
• Guideline for Electrosurgical Safety
• Guideline for Environmental Cleaning
• Guideline for Specimen Management
• Guideline for Artificial Intelligence in Periop

Purpose

Develop educational materials to meet the needs of AORN members.

Initiative:

1. Develop a Toolkit on the Introduction to Being a Change Agent.
2. Revise the AORN Position Statement on Value of Clinical Learning Activities in the Perioperative Setting in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula.
3. Revise the AORN Position Statement on Value of Perioperative Nurse Educator

Purpose

This group is a membership assembly convened via monthly conference call by AORN Government Affairs staff to coordinate and support AORN’s health policy initiatives. The National Legislative Forum is open to all AORN members with an interest in health policy and legislative affairs.

Purpose

To serve as a resource and consultant to AORN regarding perioperative research.

Initiatives: 

1. Plan and execute an annual virtual research program focused on perioperative nursing.
1. Including presentations, posters and other methods to disseminate research and quality improvement projects.  
2. Review:
1. And accept individual Research and Evidence Based abstracts for poster session at 2026 Expo. 
2. and judge and determine “winners” for Research and Evidence Based posters at Expo 2026 
3. And choose the Sigma / AORN Grant recipients.
3. Provide feedback regarding the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo research poster abstracts by evaluating their alignment to the AORN Mission, Vision, Values, and “AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice”. 
4. Propose a research abstract for EXPO on a topic of their choosing to highlight perioperative research.

Purpose

Evaluate and identify qualified AORN Scholarship recipients.

Initiatives: 

1. Review and score academic scholarship applications consistent with evaluation criteria matrix.
2. Review and score applications for Professional Development Grants, including:  
1. CNOR/CSSM/CNAMB grants  
2. Expo grants   
3. Highlight current and past scholarship/grant recipients and their accomplishments (i.e., Periop Today, Outpatient Surgery Magazine, AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo, etc.)  

Purpose

Guide perioperative nurses in utilizing artificial intelligence within the perioperative environment.

Initiatives:

1. Develop a position statement on using artificial intelligence in the perioperative environment.

Purpose

Consider new models and prospects for members across the country to participate in member engagement opportunities such as networking and education.

Initiatives:

1. Explore new ways our members can participate in networking, education, and other engagement activities to expand perioperative nursing.
2. Discuss and suggest new models such as regional or state-based groups for initiative #1.
3. Provide a recommendation to the Board of Directors on a successful new chapter model.

Purpose

Revise the implications of perioperative explications.

Initiatives:

1. Revise the current Perioperative Explications to be consistent with ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements.

Purpose

Promote excellence in perioperative nursing through recognition of individual members and groups (i.e. chapters) who have demonstrated distinction in service. 

Initiatives:  

1. Review and assess current awards to determine if the categories are still relevant, the online award application process, and the scoring mechanism and provide recommendation for change to the Board, including the dates applications open.   
2. Develop and implement a category and scoring tool for executive/leader award, to be awarded in 2025.
3. Promote Individual Awards Process in Periop Today, Outpatient Surgery Magazine and on AORN Facebook to increase awareness / participation.  
4. Follow-up on those who completed and did not complete submissions to identify opportunities to improve the process.  Make recommendations on the value of individual awards to the AORN Board of Directors.   
5. Promote Chapter Awards Process in coordination with Senior Manager of Chapter & State Relations. 
6. Score Chapter Award submissions and select recipients. 

Purpose

Review new and existing clinical nursing practice issues and develop strategies to assist perioperative nurses to implement successful practices.  

Initiatives:

1. Update current resources & education on the nurse’s role in the Root Cause Analysis Process. Consider building tools to help members navigate the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) process successfully.

2. Submit education proposal(s) for Expo 2025. 

Purpose:

Utilize a peer review process to review applications from constituents and non-constituents using the ANCC criteria.   

Initiatives:  

1. Peer review continuing nursing education applications from constituents and non-constituents using ANCC criteria. 
2. Using ANCC criteria, provide feedback to applicants in a timely manner. 
3. Provide customer support regarding the approval process. 
4. Identify and suggest topics to AORN staff for webinars and to the AORN Journal from topics being requested. 
5. Educate membership on the AORN CEU approval process; provide a roadmap to successful submission to encourage more uptake, ideas include (not limited to) webinars, checklist, short videos etc.
6. Conduct a review of the performance improvement activities and make revisions in processes as appropriate. 
   1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the overall approval unit. 
      1. Consumers (i.e. applicants)
      2. CEAC Members (aka nurse peer reviewers)-inter rater reliability 
      3. Nurses attending an approved activity  
   2. Evaluate user feedback for the online application. 
   3. Incorporate changes to the ANCC criteria to the application process, as required.
7. Submit a proposal for Expo 25 on the CEAC process.

Purpose

Identify and select members as AORN Fellows. 

Initiatives: 

1. Develop education module for website as reference for AORN members and sponsors on the Fellowship process. 
2. Promote the AORN Fellowship in AORN communication and media channels. 
3. Monitor and evaluate the selection process for the 2025 FAORN class.
4. Make recommendations for modifications to the process, as appropriate.
5. Make recommendations on the website based on feedback and committee insight to include at minimum.
   • Education criteria
   • License number and state
   • Resolve character count issues either with changes to website or added clarity to the instructions
6. Propose Expo program regarding the FAORN process.

Purpose

In collaboration with international colleagues, identify potential education sessions for a global education track at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo 2025.  

Initiatives:

1. Review needs assessments of international participants and members. 
   1. Discuss “hot” international topics and feedback from 2024 attendees
   2. Recommend speakers for global track who will represent the 2025 them
   3. Review proposals submitted by international attendees
   4. Ensure two clinical practice areas are addressed, i.e. exploring the use of checklists, cultures of safety, or other important issues
2. Members attending the conference to serve as hosts and moderators for the global track sessions. 
3. Provide any feedback from global attendees through an electronic survey following the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo conclude. 

Purpose

To serve in an advisory capacity to the AORN staff when planning educational programs for the AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo. 

Initiatives:   

1. Evaluate the need to revise and revamp proposal review/evaluation process to streamline the process for committee members, revise as needed.   
2. Review education needs assessment and feedback from education sessions held in 2024. 
3. Identify key categories of desired/requested content from needs assessment. 
4. Achieve goal of 25% of first-time presenters for Expo program (TBD after Expo 2024 evaluation review). 
5. Collaborate with marketing to develop a plan to encourage members to submit Research, DEI, Innovation, Clinical & Process Improvement, poster and podium abstracts for the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo. 
6. Provide feedback regarding poster abstracts by evaluating their alignment to the AORN Mission, Vision, Values, and “AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice”. 
7. Utilize the poster evaluation tool to select the Outstanding Clinical, Research, Innovation, Improvement/Innovation, and DEI submitted for the 2025 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo.  

Purpose

Reviewing, obtaining and providing input, and arriving at consensus on relevant, evidence-based Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. 

Initiatives: 

1. Review and critique draft documents, provide input, review public comments, and arrive at consensus on the following Guidelines:
   • Guideline for Hypothermia Prevention
   • Guidelines for Surgical Attire
   • Guideline for Sterilization
   • Guideline for Sterilization Packaging Systems
   • Guideline for Sharps Safety
   • Guideline for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
   • Guideline for Transmission-Based Precautions
   • Guideline for Pneumatic Tourniquets
   • Guideline for Autologous Tissue
2. Increase access to current AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice in under-resourced locations for the purpose of supporting evidence-based practice for the underserved.

Purpose

Develop educational materials to meet the needs of AORN members. 

Initiative:

1. Create a toolkit for managers & educators to support eradication of incivility and bullying to include simulation sessions to effectively respond to at least the top 5 behaviors affecting perioperative nurses.   

Purpose

This group is a membership assembly convened via monthly conference call by AORN Government Affairs staff to coordinate and support AORN’s health policy initiatives.  The National Legislative Forum is open to all AORN members with an interest in health policy and legislative affairs.  

Initiatives:  

1. Health Equity
   Improving surgical outcomes requires promoting equitable frameworks for care delivery and institutional investment in the safety and well-being of all patients. AORN urges extraordinary action to curb and eliminate all disparities in health care delivery and ensure appropriate health care for all, including transition-related care and unrestricted access to reproductive health care. 
   
   
2. Public Health
   AORN encourages funding and support for public health initiatives including viral testing, vaccine mandates, PPE availability, and public health precautions and investment related to communicable disease and the mental health of all health care providers.
   
   AORN supports improved access to mental health services and meaningful legislation and regulatory efforts to address the public health crisis caused by gun violence. 
   
   
3. Surgical Smoke Evacuation
   AORN leads efforts to enact laws requiring facilities to adopt and implement policies addressing evacuation of surgical smoke for all smoke-generating procedures to prevent ongoing exposure to the hazardous carcinogenic and mutagenic cells contained in surgical smoke and to ensure the health and safety of all surgical team members. 
   
   
4. Perioperative Safety and Practice Support
   AORN advises and collaborates with regulatory and standard setting bodies to ensure access to essential PPE, public health readiness, and adequate mental health support and compensation for nursing services. 
   
   AORN encourages legislative and regulatory efforts to establish an accountable, trusting patient safety culture in the perioperative setting, including robust whistleblower protections for health care providers and mandatory reporting of safety incidences, such as surgical site infections and wrong site surgery. In addition to surgical smoke-free operating rooms, perioperative nurses deserve fatigue prevention resources, strong workplace violence protections, safe patient handling programs focused on injury prevention, and protections from prosecution for medication errors.
    
5. Perioperative Practice Issues 
   • RN Circulator: AORN works to ensure every surgical patient has a dedicated perioperative registered nurse circulator for the duration of each operative and invasive procedure. Our team also actively promotes laws and regulations to ensure the supervisory presence of the perioperative RN in the perioperative setting.
   • RNFA: AORN supports the expanded role of the RNFA by actively working to achieve reimbursement parity for RNFAs. RNFAs work in collaboration with the entire surgical team to achieve optimal patient outcomes nationwide and yet private payer reimbursement is only guaranteed in 17 states.
   • Professional Practice: AORN protects the perioperative registered nurse’s scope of practice and patient safety by engaging in legislative, regulatory, agency, and other stakeholder approaches to RN education, certification, supervision, roles, competencies, and duties.

Purpose

To serve as a resource and consultant to AORN regarding perioperative research.

Initiatives: 

1. Evaluate the effectiveness and use of the mentor program/registry database for novice researchers and/or students.
2. Create a virtual webinar/training on “how to write and effective abstract for poster and podium presentations” and follow with a Step-by-Step guide to writing and effective nursing abstract. Timing should be such that it will support increased numbers of abstracts for expo 2025.
3. Plan and execute an annual virtual research program focused on perioperative nursing.
   1. Including presentations, posters and other methods to disseminate research and quality improvement projects
4. Review and:
   1. Accept individual Research and Evidence Based abstracts for poster session at 2025 Expo
   2. Judge and determine “winners” for Research and Evidence Based posters at Expo 2025
   3. Research studies submitted for funding by the AORN Foundation
   4. Choose the Sigma / AORN Grant recipients
5. Provide feedback regarding the 2024 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo research poster abstracts by evaluating their alignment to the AORN Mission, Vision, Values, and “AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice”. 
6. Provide consultation to the AORN Journal, upon request. 

Purpose

Evaluate and identify qualified AORN Scholarship recipients. 

Initiatives: 

1. Review and revise the current scoring matrices as needed to reflect each of the categories of Foundation funding. 
2. Review and score applications and award Academic scholarships consistent with criteria specified by donor.    
3. Review and score applications for Professional Development Grants, including: 
   1. ORX grants
   2. CNOR/CSSM/CNAMB grants 
   3. Expo grants  
4. Highlight current and past scholarship recipients and their accomplishments (i.e., Periop Today, Outpatient Surgery Magazine, AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo, etc.) 

Purpose

Consider new models and prospects for members across the country to participate in member engagement opportunities such as networking and education. 

Initiatives:   

1. Explore new ways our members can participate in networking, education, and other engagement activities to expand perioperative nursing. 
2. Discuss and suggest new models such as regional or state-based groups for initiative #1. 
3. Provide a recommendation to the Board of Directors on a successful new chapter model.

DEI Nursing Committee

The DEI Nursing Committee scope for 2024 is:

• Membership Diversity (people of color and LGBTQ+)
• Create education products, tool kits, policies, etc. that will have an impact addressing racism and discrimination towards perioperative nurses.

DEI Patient Committee

The DEI Patient Committee scope for 2024 is to Improve the care, experience, and outcomes for patients of color and LGBTQ+ patients.

The DEI Patient Committee initiatives are to Create education, products, tool kits, etc. for perioperative nurses, that will have an impact addressing disparity of care for patients of color and LGBTQ+ patients.

Purpose

To ensure all AORN existing and future guidelines, projects, programs, or interventions are created with a health equity lens in mind. Included in this work will be understanding Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and how to incorporate their importance into perioperative Services care models.

Initiative:

1. Develop a documentation guideline to remove bias from the healthcare record with nursing documentation. This will include updating the documentation guidelines to include this information.
2. SDOH-Patient Outcomes- create a SDOH Perioperative assessment tool, and tool kit to support interventions to address findings for perioperative departments.

Purpose

To create strategies and tools to aid in the elimination of surgical infections and to enhance patient outcomes through perioperative nursing processes.

Initiative:

1. Develop an online resource center focused on Surgical Site Infection Prevention for the perioperative setting.
2. Create an accredited AORN webinar series on the CDC’s Project Firstline to focus on the core practices of infection prevention and control including:
• Hand hygiene
• Aseptic technique
• Safe injection practices
• Standard and transmission-based precautions
• Training and education of healthcare personnel
• Patient and family education
• Environmental hygiene
• Leadership support
• Monitoring of practice
• Employee/Occupational health
• Early removal of invasive devices
3. Create an interprofessional approach and toolkit to evaluating infection prevention and control products for the perioperative setting based on the CDC’s HICPAC infection control products evaluation tool

Purpose

To create and develop materials to assist retired nurses, those considering retirement, or tenured nurses looking to decrease hours while supporting ongoing contributions to the profession. This task force will also create tools to assist organizations in creative ways to utilize the expertise of a tenured nurse in the perioperative environment in a way that benefits both the nurse and the organization.

Initiatives:   

1. Create a job description of a legacy/retired nurse’s responsibility within the perioperative environment to support regulatory readiness, novice nurses, educational needs, specialty expertise without physical or mental burden.
   1. Ex. Emeritus nurse within Perioperative Services, consider part time and prn options as well. As a part of this, identify and submit to the BOD for adoption, a new name for this nurse that encompasses all forms of this type of nurse, reserving “Legacy” as for history in AORN with other projects.
2. Explore key roles for this type of nurses: ie. Virtual nursing in the perioperative setting .
3. Create a ‘Legacy Nurse Section” on the AORN website designed to house the tools designed for legacy nurses, and organizations looking for legacy nurses, and guidance for ways to engage.
   1. Develop a new name, legacy nurse will; be used for other AORN purposes.
4. Complete an article on the value and wisdom that an experienced or retired nurse can offer to less experienced nurses.