november, 2026
Event Details
Adam Smith, Clinical Solutions Specialist, Surgical Solutions
Frederick Westermeyer, Clinical Educator, Surgical Solutions
Certification: This webinar is eligible for 1 CE credit. OR Today is approved and licensed to be a Continuing Education Provider with the California Board of Registered Nurses, License #16623
Most hospitals have safety policies, but policy does not guarantee daily practice. This session examines the gap between facility rules and everyday behavior as the Joint Commission’s 2026 National Performance Goals raise expectations. Explore PPE, heat, noise, emergency readiness, workplace violence, and vendor orientation, plus ways to close each gap.
This presentation will equip attendees to:
- Explain how the Joint Commission’s 2026 National Performance Goals change accreditation expectations.
- Explain why the 2026 AORN Guidelines matter for decontamination practice and survey readiness.
- Compare current PPE, heat, noise, EtO, and peroxide requirements against typical facility practice.
- Assess emergency preparedness and workplace violence programs against the new performance goals.
- Recognize why vendor and contract staff orientation is often a hidden safety gap.
- Describe how ongoing training and onboarding close the gap between policy and practice.
Adam Smith brings 20+ years of leadership in sterile processing, clinical operations, and surgical efficiency, bridging frontline practice with executive strategy to advance hospital compliance.
Fred Westermeyer, a former SPD educator and manager, has 18 years in sterile processing, applying process improvement and AI to strengthen education and survey readiness.
Sponsor
OR Today would like to thank our sponsor, Surgical Solutions, Inc. Surgical Solutions provides perioperative managed services to hospitals and health systems, integrating training and accountability into operating rooms, endoscopy and sterile processing to enhance safety, maintain survey readiness and deliver consistent, high-quality patient care. Visit surgical-solutions.com to learn more.
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