Perioperative Nurses Week is Coming

We are stronger together in our work to advance safe surgery. With Perioperative Nurses Week (PNW) coming Nov. 8-14, AORN isn’t wasting any time gearing up for this special week to celebrate each other and share what we do. We are working with colleagues across the country to make PNW 2020 a week to remember. So are our industry partners.

This year Stryker is supporting the Perioperative Nurses Week celebration with AORN to show their appreciation for perioperative nurses who devote themselves to the well-being of others in and around the operating room each day.

“Your dedication to elevate your profession drives us to create solutions that improve safety for you and your teams in the operating room,” says Stryker Surgical Technologies Vice

President/General Manager Mike Carlin. He stresses your work inspires the solutions Stryker develops to support our journey to achieve zero harm from common perioperative risks such as surgical smoke, exposure to infectious fluid waste, retained surgical sponges, and drug diversion.

“You are at the heart of what we do and why we innovate,” Carlin adds. “We safeguard caregivers so you can bolster your operating rooms, reinforce your processes and protect your patients.”

Plan Your Week

Each day during Perioperative Nurses Week, AORN recommends a different activity in line with its theme, Safe Surgery Together: Strength in Numbers.

Monday Nov. 9: Appreciation Day

Every day you work together to coordinate care for safe surgery. You take time for an engaged Time Out prior to surgery, you share evidence to update care activities and you speak up when you have a concern as part of building a strong safety culture.

How to Celebrate: Honor your surgical team members on your break, at lunch, or during a Zoom call.

Tuesday Nov. 10: Advocacy Day

Each year AORN members speak out to state and federal legislators to advocate health policy issues that impact perioperative care and safety for patients and providers. This year AORN members worked with AORN legislative experts to advance OR safety through safe practices such as evacuating surgical smoke.

How to Celebrate: Take a moment to email your legislator or local newspaper about the important work you do or request a proclamation from your Governor to recognize Perioperative Nurse Week in your city by reaching out to AORN Government Affairs Senior Manager Jennifer Pennock.

Wednesday, Nov. 11: Chapter Day

With chapters located across the country, perioperative nurses take time outside of the perioperative setting to advance perioperative nursing in their communities. Your community involvement is making a difference in connecting with your most vulnerable patient populations to ensure safe surgical care. You also know how important it is to help our community members understand the important role of the periop nurse.

How to Celebrate: Participate in your local (or virtual) chapter or take the opportunity to find a chapter in your region. You can even start a new chapter.

Thursday, Nov. 12: Membership Day

Each year you and more than 40,000 perioperative nurses around the world take time to engage with AORN to advance the profession through our collective voices and actions. You find many different ways to engage with AORN, whether you access AORN guidelines to ensure you and your colleagues are following the latest evidence-based practices or volunteer to work at a local or national level through AORN task forces, committees and chapter-level leadership roles.

How to Celebrate: Encourage a new perioperative colleague to become an AORN member and make plans to attend a virtual AORN learning activity such as the Nurse Leadership Seminar with nursing coach Rose Sherman or make plans to attend the 2021 AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo (in person!) together in Orlando, Fla.

Friday, Nov.13: Foundation Day

AORN members donate time and money to the AORN Foundation to support nurses through education grants and other learning opportunities to advance lifelong learning for perioperative nurses in every stage of their career. Focusing on professional development and continuing education is a critical piece of your daily practice, whether you are working to advance your own education or support learning among your colleagues.

How to Celebrate:Honor your colleagues, mentors, or your entire team through donating to the AORN Foundation to advance education through the association. We will send your honoree(s) a personal note to let them know of your contribution. 

Learn more about how you can get involved with AORN during Perioperative Nurses Week.