The opening ceremony of the 2022 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo was a high-energy event, from the moment the Edna Karr High School Marching Band led AORN’s Board of Directors to the stage until keynote speaker Jade Simmons finished her riveting keynote presentation to the thunderous applause of a standing ovation.

AORN President Holly Ervine, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CNOR, took to the podium to officially open Expo and highlighted the theme of the conference — Advocacy: Take a Stand. She thanked attendees for their participation, noting that Expo is a commitment to lifelong learning.

The conference’s opening day ended with the standout keynote by Ms. Simmons, an award-winning concert pianist and activist who helps others harness the power of purpose. Her presentation, an inspirational talk coupled with classical and modern-infused piano breaks, was tailored specifically to AORN members at every level of the perioperative journey.

Ms. Simmons shared her personal story of breaking through from a traditional career as a classical pianist to becoming the creator of transformation musical experiences, and mixed powerful advice and humor with jaw-dropping piano runs. The keynote was capped with two members of the audience joining Ms. Simmons onstage and spontaneously creating their own piece of music that wowed the entire crowd.

After the opening day at Expo, one thing was abundantly clear: Attendees were thrilled to be back to the live conference setting.