Building a collaborative culture. Preventing RSIs. Fostering a work-life balance in new nurse leaders.
While those are just some of the challenges nurses currently face, AORN is determined to turn them (and more) into opportunities to learn at Global Surgical Conference & Expo, April 1-4, in San Antonio. The association developed four days of perioperative-focused educational content spread across general sessions, hands-on simulations, learning labs and a new education hub dedicated to ambulatory surgery. Overall, AORN Expo 2023 offers perioperative nurses and leaders access to about 200 continuing education contact hours that will advance their knowledge of evidence-based practice.
“We have been using the theme ‘No Limits’ to describe the conference because we believe perioperative nurses have endless opportunities for learning and professional development,” said AORN President Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO. “We are very aware of the challenges nurses face, and we make every effort to support their success and the future of the perioperative profession. That is why it is vital that we come together to learn, work to improve the quality of patient care and have fun with our colleagues.”
AORN Director of Perioperative Education Colleen Becker, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CCRN-K, agreed.
“We know nurses and leaders are grappling with staffing shortages, learning the skills specific to periop care, and staying up to date on evidence-based practice,” Becker said. “Our planning committee analyzes practice priorities, and we develop our content based on AORN’s Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, member feedback, the latest trends and new technology.”
12 Learning Paths
AORN Expo is recognized as the largest perioperative nursing conference in the world and, each year, the association develops content tailored to nurses from all career levels, including leadership. Because the Guidelines for Perioperative Practice are constantly evolving, nurses know if they don’t stay on top of learning opportunities, they can easily fall behind. And that could compromise patient care.
AORN Expo in San Antonio includes 12 specialty break-out education tracks including evidence-based practice/research, sterile processing, risk management, infection control and prevention, and ambulatory. This year, attendees will find session topics such as “Millennial Leadership in the OR: The Collaborative Workstyle,” “Stop the line: Preventing RSIs,” and “A Journey to Self-Publishing: Impacting Health Literacy.”
AORN Guideline authors, industry experts and nationally recognized speakers lead the sessions, which also extend into the Expo Hall. The Expo Hall, one of the largest surgical products trade shows in the country, connects nurses to medical device representatives and offers them a chance to touch and test the latest technologies and services for the OR.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Through Pfiedler Education, nurses have access to virtual simulations and exhibitor-led education on more than 25 topics ranging from pressure injury prevention and surgical skin antisepsis to lateral positioning. Organizers also added two new learning labs this year designed to deliver quick-fire hands-on education on 14 topics such as perioperative pressure injury prevention and breaking down barriers between the OR and SPD.
“The Expo Hall provides meaningful opportunities for nurses to learn and also speak with vendors,” Dennis said. “They’re reinforcing their skills through engaging training sessions while also earning credit hours.”
For nurse leaders, AORN presents an annual Leadership Summit, often referred to as a conference within the conference. Organizers tailor sessions for perioperative nursing executives and emerging leaders looking for solutions to their daily challenges and to learn new management strategies. This year’s schedule includes sessions on creating healthy work cultures, recruiting/retaining staff, managing a multi-generation workforce, and improving perioperative care for transgender and gender-diverse people.
New Ambulatory Division
Meanwhile, 2023 also marks the introduction of the new ambulatory hub at AORN Expo.
Outpatient facilities face unique challenges and operate with different regulatory requirements (compared to hospitals) and, often, limited resources, so organizers decided to create an entire space dedicated to ambulatory surgery. The sessions address hot topics for leaders and clinicians including expanding service lines, cultivating a culture of safety and sharing research on clinical practice outcomes. Some of the topics include “Infection Prevention in the ASC Environment,” and “Designing Ambulatory Surgery Centers for the Future.”
The new hub is just part of AORN’s commitment to the ambulatory nursing practice.
AORN launched its new ambulatory division in the beginning of 2023 with a goal of supporting outpatient surgery facilities by offering clinical education, reporting resources, networking opportunities and connecting industry partners to outpatient leaders. And that’s in addition to its current ambulatory surgery solutions which include online courses that are specific to the setting.
“Our goal is to create a larger community and build more resources so our members can learn from national experts and connect with their peers to discuss the challenges and solutions they experience on the job,” Dennis said. “We have a growing population of nurses in the ambulatory setting, and they are in desperate need of high-quality education related to important issues such as operational efficiency, revenue management and regulatory compliance.”
Mentoring the Next Generation
AORN has resources in place for members – both at AORN Expo and throughout the association – focused on helping nurses entering the profession or looking for professional development. Each year, association members receive a discount on conference registration along with more than 200 contact hours, guideline implementation tools, career resources and more benefits to support their practice.
Nursing students who attend AORN Expo receive a complimentary registration and a one-year AORN student membership. AORN also created a special program during the last day of Expo where students can practice hands-on activities (think gowning and gloving, surgical prepping, preparing a sterile field, and handling instrumentation). And in the afternoon of April 4, they’ll have access to an exhibit floor session exploring the complexity of surgical products and equipment.
Nurses can also connect with a mentor at AORN Expo.
At the conference, nurses can sign-up for AORN’s Member Mentor Program or meet their match in person. The program pairs nurses with a mentor for a year and offers a collection of resources that help establish program goals and focused conversations. For attendees looking for something less formal, the conference hosts a first-time attendee lounge (where attendees can network with veteran nurses), and speed networking activities.
“We have built in plenty of networking opportunities for nurses and leaders to connect and grow their professional support system,” Dennis said. “We are also excited about the host city of San Antonio and the night events and parties we have planned. It all contributes to building strong connections and showing everyone that we are in this together.”
Next year, AORN will present its Global Surgical Conference & Expo in Nashville – save the date – March 9-12, 2024. Registration opens in October 2023.
