| Association of periOperative Registered Nurses | |
| Abbreviation: | AORN |
| Type: | Professional organization |
| Purpose: | Professional |
| Headquarters: | Denver[1] |
| Region Served: | United States |
| Membership: | Perioperative nurses |
| Language: | English |
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) represents more than 41,000 registered nurses in the United States[2] and abroad who facilitate the management, teaching, and practice of perioperative nursing, or who are enrolled in nursing education or engaged in perioperative research. Its members also include perioperative nurses who work in related business and industry sectors.[3]
The first groups of organized OR nurses were concerned with many of the same issues AORN and the profession of OR nursing face today, including standardizing OR techniques and education programs and promoting friendship among OR nurses. Between 1916 and 1949, several OR nursing groups formed in various parts of the United States, leading to the formal recognition of AORN as a national association. Major milestones in the association's history include:
AORN is also involved in efforts that advance perioperative professionals and their profession. These activities include:
The AORN Surgical Conference & Exposition is the largest education and networking conference of perioperative nurse professionals in the world, and the largest surgical products trade show in the US.[4] To date there have been a total of 62 Congresses dating back to 1954.
In 1979, the AORN approved a resolution to promote consumer education and enhance public knowledge of perioperative nurse.[5] November 14 was designated as OR Nurse Day, later it expanded to a week. Since 1979 individual members, AORN chapters, hospitals, and other medical facilities have organized special events and utilized other forms of publicity to help educate the public about the diverse roles performed by perioperative registered nurses. In 2000, OR Nurse Week was renamed to Perioperative Nurse Week to broaden the term. It always occurs in the second week of November.
At the 56th annual entered into a partnership with Mercy Ships, a leading non-profit in providing free healthcare in the third world, in an effort to boost the health care accessibility and opportunities for international collaborations.[6]