Candidate for Board of Directors (Four to be Elected)

Read Candidate Q&A

Leigh Anne Bartlett, MSN, RN, CNOR, is the Director of Surgical Services and Nursing at UNC Health Johnston – Smithfield & Clayton, North Carolina. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing and a Master of Science in nursing from East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville, North Carolina.

Bartlett has been a perioperative nurse for 25 years and a member of AORN for 17 years. She is a member of

• Coastal North Carolina (2015-present)
• Capital North Carolina (2024-present)
• the North Carolina Council of Operating Room Nurses (2015-present)
• the Leadership Specialty Assembly (2017-present)
• the Sterile Processing/Supply Chain Management Specialty Assembly (2018-present)
• the Perioperative Nursing Informatics Specialty Assembly (2018-present)

Bartlett has attended Congress nine times in the past 10 years, each time as a delegate.

Bartlett has received

• an AORN Member Spotlight (2019)

Highlights of Bartlett’s service to AORN include that she is

• an ambassador for the AORN Foundation (2022-present)
• chair of the Leadership Specialty Assembly (2019-2020, 2024-present)
• a member of the Coastal North Carolina Board of Directors (2024-present)

She has been

• a member of the AORN Scholarship Committee (2021-2022)
• an AORN Mentor (2021-2022)
• an AORN Nurse in Washington Intern (2017)
• chair of the North Carolina Council of Operating Room Nurses (2021-2022)
• treasurer of the North Carolina Council of Operating Room Nurses (2016-2019)
• president of Coastal North Carolina (2015, 2022-2023)
• a presenter at AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo (2019-2024)

In other leadership roles, Bartlett is

• a primary voter for the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Sterilization Standards Committee & Steam Sterilization Hospital Practices (2023-present)
• a primary voter for the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Water Quality for Reprocessing Medical Devices Workgroup (2023-present)
• a clinical advisor for the surgical technologist program at Johnston Community Hospital (2024-present)

She has been

• leader of Gold-Level AORN Go Clear Award team­ at ECU Health Duplin Hospital (2020)

In her community, Bartlett is

• a member of the American Kentucky Mission Team (2015-present)
• team nurse for the American Kentucky Mission Team (2015-present)
• a member of The Bridge Church Emergency Response Team (2015-present)
• a volunteer for the soup kitchen (2018-present)

She has been

• a nurse volunteer for the Hope Extended Mobile Medical Unit (2015-2020)

Election Statement

I am honored to run for a position on the AORN Board of Directors. Reflecting on my years as a perioperative nurse, nurse leader, and active participant in AORN at the local, state, and national levels, I have successfully driven change in patient safety, workplace safety, and quality of care. I have witnessed the power of our nursing community to transform health care through advocacy, research, and education as we unite for change.

My involvement in AORN has provided me opportunities to stay current with practice and guidelines, award scholarships, grow and develop nurses, and I have been instrumental in implementing programs such as smoke-free initiatives and Periop 101. I have advocated for legislative support and policy development that prioritizes workplace safety, patient safety, and our well-being. I am passionate and committed to driving member engagement and ensuring access to the tools and information needed to drive change. With more members involved and informed, we can enhance the quality and efficiency of care, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of innovation in nursing.

As your Board member, I will work diligently to advocate and amplify the voices of our members, ensuring that patient safety and work environment decisions remain in the hands of those who know them best. I will work to enhance member engagement and professional growth. Together, we will elevate perioperative nursing practice and make a lasting impact on the future of health care. I ask for your vote.