The annual AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo is taking place in Boston, MA from April 5-8.

In preparation for the big event, HCB News spoke to Lisa Spruce, senior director of Evidence-Based Perioperative Practice at AORN, and Colleen Becker, director of Perioperative Education at AORN.

HCB News: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in perioperative nursing?
Lisa Spruce: At the beginning of my career, I was an ICU/Trauma nurse, the hospital then opened a new perioperative department and recruited me, I never went back, I loved the fast paced, team oriented atmosphere and all of the amazing technology in an OR where I was always challenged.

Colleen Becker: I grew up providing care to animals and was very involved with small and large animal husbandry. From this, I knew that I wanted to provide care and help to improve quality of life and ease discomfort. My aunt was an RN and innovative in her field of neonatal nursing. From these two experiences, I pursued nursing at the same school my aunt had attended. From the time I was exposed to surgical nursing care, I was hooked. It is an opportunity to help the patient and their loved ones through some of their most difficult and important days. We help them with cure, diagnosis, and answer questions to ease their anxiety. The perioperative day can be the most important day of the patient's life.

HCB News: Have any best practices or policy updates emerged in surgical safety and infection prevention that perioperative nurses should be aware of?
LS: Best practices in the surgical setting have been enhanced by AI. AI is evolving to assist perioperative teams in enhanced safety protocols such as the Universal Protocol, time out procedures and handoffs. AI systems can confirm important patient information and procedure details in electronic health records to ensure accuracy and can monitor the surgical team’s adherence to time outs ensuring that all steps are correctly followed. AI can be integrated into handoff procedures, so they are consistently followed, and all critical information is communicated to receiving perioperative teams. This reduces the risk of omitting critical information during transitions of care. AI algorithms analyze patient data to predict surgical outcomes, identify patients at risk for complications, and optimize perioperative care plans.

In 2024 AORN published a new guideline, The Implementation of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS). This new guideline is an interdisciplinary approach to surgical care that aims to optimize patient outcomes and accelerate recovery following surgery. This guideline includes guidance on antimicrobial prophylaxis, surgical site infection prevention bundles, preoperative screening and optimization—including risk assessments, infection prevention strategies, minimally invasive techniques, and postoperative care to name a few. All the interventions in an ERAS program combine to create a powerful synergistic effect that improves patient outcomes and reduces the incidence of patient complications.

HCB News: How does AORN advocate for perioperative nurses in terms of professional development, continuing education, and workplace policies?
CB: AORN provides the primary course through which hundreds of thousands of RNs have trained to become perioperative nurses, and we develop education and other content to support their evidence-based lifelong learning. Not only does AORN write the recommendations for patient and team safety in the Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, but we also gather member and learner feedback on clinical challenges to tailor on-demand and live education to meet their needs and help them grow and develop in their career path.

AORN’s participates in collaboration and partnership with our peer nursing associations. This collegial relationship leads to co-developed content, learning what works well to provide education content, and how we can best partner to develop and disseminate content. The AORN advocacy team supports smoke safety and legislation which includes educating our colleagues and supports perioperative team member education to support safety. Position statements are developed and available to members that range in topic from a circulator in each operating room to advanced practice nursing in perioperative services. This is in addition to the policy and procedure samples provided in the guideline tools that support the perioperative leader, educator, and staff person.

Content is offered by AORN on a variety of platforms to include virtual, in person, on-demand learning, recorded content, and with printed materials. In listening to our learners, we offer closed captioning, language translation of content to Spanish, the ability to listen to content in addition to reading the content and more user tools to use while learning (e.g. electronic note taking, transcripts on screen, etc.).

HCB News: Can you share any insights on the major topics or sessions planned for the upcoming AORN meeting that you're most excited about?
CB: AORN Expo offers educational tracks in leadership, education, staff and personal development, research and evidence-based practice to name a few topics. This year’s Expo has 300 posters for display in Boston.

Hands-on experiences will again be at Expo with topics including:

1. A clinical escape room (sign up in advance, Chart notes to be sent out)
2. Surgical Odyssey which focuses on teaching educators how to develop virtual education for their learners (sign up in advance, Chart notes to be sent out)
3. Steris is offering the popular Sterile Processing and Operating Room Quality Improvement experience.
4. How to manage and address workplace incivility

HCB News: How is technology—such as AI, robotics, or digital documentation—impacting perioperative nursing, and what innovations are being highlighted at this year’s conference?
LS: AI tools assist nurses in clinical decision making by providing evidence-based recommendations for patient care in preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care. AI can streamline workflows by automating scheduling, inventory management, and resource allocation, allowing nurses to focus more on patient care.

Robotic surgical systems allow for precision in minimally invasive surgeries, leading to shorter recovery times and reduced complications. Perioperative nurses play a crucial role in preparing the surgical environment, assisting with robotic systems, and educating patients, in support of minimally invasive robotic procedures that improve patient outcomes. Robotics technology can also be used for simulation training, allowing nurses and surgical teams to practice procedures and improve their skills in a safe environment before actual surgeries.

Digital documentation systems streamline the documentation process, ensuring that patient information is easily accessible, accurate, and up to date. This facilitates better communication among the perioperative team. Perioperative nurses can enter patient information in real time, improving the accuracy of documentation and allowing for immediate updates to care plans and promotes adherence to standardized protocols and checklists, which can enhance patient safety and reduce errors.

HCB News: What are some of the innovations being highlighted at EXPO?
LS: There will be many exciting innovations highlighted such as Smart Operating Rooms that include integrated technologies that streamline workflow, improve communication and increase efficiency. This includes advanced lighting, temperature control, and integrated surgical instruments. The newest technological advancements in robotic surgery which are becoming more versatile and covering a broader range of surgical specialties.

Some examples of how AI is being utilized across surgical specialties include:
- Advancements in electronic healthcare records, which have led to more intuitive interfaces, real time data entry capabilities, and improved interoperability between systems.
- 3D printing which is being used to create patient specific anatomical models for surgical planning as well as custom implants and prosthetics.
- Additionally, there will be fantastic educational presentations on technology, AI, robotics, and more to help educate nurses on the innovations that are being created across the country.

HCB News: What is some of the greatest advice you've ever received?
LS: Speak up, be assertive, patient safety depends on it.