RN Circulator

AORN maintains that every surgical patient deserves a perioperative registered nurse for the duration of any operative or other invasive procedure, and actively promotes laws and regulations to ensure the supervisory presence of the professional RN in the perioperative setting.

Twenty-five states have laws or regulations in place that require a registered nurse to serve as the circulator in hospitals, and 17 states have similar language for ambulatory surgical centers. Although not as comprehensive as the AORN legislative priority, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also has regulations and guidance (PDF) addressing the RN Circulator.