You might not have ever thought about the parallels between a perioperative team and a hockey team, but Michael Rempel sees similarities. Michael grew up playing hockey in Brooklyn, N.Y., and when he got his first exposure to the OR while in nursing school, he observed the similarities right away.
“For me, the dynamics of a hockey team resonated with the dynamics between OR team members,” he says. “Every member of the perioperative team has an important position to play, just like every member of a hockey team. I knew right away that I wanted to be an OR nurse, so I pursued this as soon as I graduated nursing school.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pace University in 2009, Michael went to work as a staff nurse, perioperative services at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. In this position he specialized in cardiac, thoracic, vascular, urology, colorectal and robotic surgery.
In 2013, Michael obtained a master’s degree in nursing education from Pace University. He followed that with a doctor of nurse practice degree from Chamberlain University in 2020. These degrees opened the door for roles as a clinical nurse manager; director of surgical services; registered nurse CNIII, operating room; educational specialist, perioperative services; education specialist; and his current role as the pediatric trauma program manager at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., in which he has served since 2023.
“This role involves a lot of quality analysis, performance improvement, policy integration and policy creation specific to our pediatric trauma patient population,” Michael explains.
One of his biggest accomplishments has been the development of a customized educational plan through the analysis of stakeholder needs and clinical insights. Michael is also responsible for maintaining and renewing program accreditation and certification, such as the trauma center designation by the American College of Surgeons, and ensuring ongoing compliance with standards and requirements.
In addition, Michael is a part-time lecturer at the Rutgers University School of Nursing.
“I recently taught my first didactic course, intro to perioperative nursing, which went really well,” he says. And he presented at the AORN 2025 Surgical Expo on periop DEU and the perioperative student experience.
One of Michael’s professional passions is helping bridge the gap between nursing academia and real-world practice for nursing students and new perioperative nurses.
“There’s often a disconnect between academic prep and the highly specialized skills that are required in the OR,” he says. “I’ve dedicated much of my career to building partnerships with nursing schools and developing DEU programs that create pathways for students to gain early exposure to the perioperative environment.”
Michael believes it’s more important now than ever to prepare the next generation of OR nurses as the surgical environment becomes more demanding and experienced OR nurses retire.
“Early exposure to the OR helps spark real interest, builds confidence and shows students what working in this specialty truly involves,” he says.
Mentoring and guiding the next generation of OR nurses is one of the most rewarding parts of his job, says Michael.
“Seeing their confidence grow and their clinical skills sharpen is extremely gratifying and inspiring. Watching a nursing student walk into the OR unsure of themself and then walk out confident is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job,” he adds.
Preparing the next generation of OR nurses is especially critical now given the ongoing staffing challenges presented by the nationwide nursing shortage.
“I don’t think there’s any hospital that would say they’re 100 percent staffed right now,” Michael says.
Throughout his career, Michael has been actively involved with professional associations such as the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN).
“AORN has been instrumental in helping me connect with like-minded professionals and giving me a platform to advocate for perioperative education and professional development,” he says.
Michael previously led AORN’s perioperative academic mentoring partnership program that pairs experienced nurse mentors with new nurses to help them transition from the classroom to practical training.
“This program provides great structure for mentorship and helps new perioperative nurses apply theoretical concepts to real-world practice,” he says.
When working with mentees, Michael and other mentors discuss everything from clinical skills to navigating the complexities of OR culture.
“Being part of the AORN mentorship program and the AORN nurse educator special assembly group has been deeply fulfilling and reinforces how mentorship helps both new OR nurses and mentor nurses grow,” he says.
When mentoring young nurses, Michael urges experienced OR nurses to share personal experiences that highlight the unique aspects of perioperative nursing and what makes this specialty so rewarding.
“Recognize young nurses’ accomplishments and provide encouragement and constructive feedback while also acknowledging the challenges they face and reflecting on what they need to continue building on,” he says.
An injury derailed Michael’s nascent hockey career but he remains actively involved in the sport by coaching youth hockey.
“This is the most fulfilling thing that I do outside of work,” he says. “I love working with these kids and sharing my knowledge and passion for the game with them.”
Professional Spotlight Nomination
