AORN

Expo registration is almost open!

AORN Expo 2027 is getting closer, and registration is almost open.

It’s time to reconnect with your perioperative community, discover what’s new, share ideas, and get ready for another unforgettable Expo experience.

The countdown starts now.

SAVE THE DATE.

April 10-13, 2027
Philadelphia, PA

Sign up to be notified when registration opens.
https://bit.ly/4rqIcPO

You're leading teams, managing budgets, solving staffing challenges, and improving patient care.

You deserve education built specifically for your role.

Register now for AORN's Perioperative Leader Workshops in:
✔ Chicago - 9/25
✔ Atlanta - 10/16
✔ San Francisco - 11/6

Join fellow perioperative nurse leaders for a day of practical learning and leadership growth.

Save your seat: https://bit.ly/4cZzimj

Sponsored by Conmed & Stryker

Level up with Stryker Surgical Technologies’ Neptune S waste management system. https://bit.ly/4xniDkf

Your research can inspire what’s next.

Share your research, EBP, or QI project at the 2027 AORN Perioperative Nursing Research Symposium.

Showcase your hard work in a 15-minute presentation at the virtual, live event. Top projects will have the opportunity to present at AORN Expo 2027 in Philadelphia.

Jan. 27–28, 2027 | Virtual Live Event
Abstract submission deadline: Oct. 15, 2026

Showcase your work. Exchange ideas. Advance perioperative nursing. https://bit.ly/4n7WEZT

🔍 Responding to a Count Discrepancy

Count discrepancies occur for a variety of reasons, and research has helped identify factors that increase the risk of retained surgical items (RSIs).

Risk factors associated with RSIs include:

✅ Communication breakdowns and other team or system failures
✅ Blood loss greater than 500 mL
✅ Prolonged operative time
✅ Multiple procedures during a single operative episode
✅ Involvement of multiple surgical teams
✅ Unexpected intraoperative findings
✅ Absence of surgical counts

When a discrepancy is identified, every member of the perioperative team shares responsibility for taking immediate, coordinated action to resolve it. Although the reconciliation process can be stressful, following a standardized approach helps ensure patient safety, supports effective communication, and reinforces teamwork.

Nurses can review key practices to support effective manual surgical counts in this month’s Back to Basics 2.0 Article: https://aornjournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aorn.70143



***Contact hours are available for this activity. Earn the contact hours by reading this article, reviewing the outcome and objectives, and completing the Learner Evaluation at https://aorn.us/sep26-b2b.

Labor Day may be behind us, but the work certainly isn’t.

For perioperative nurses, so much of that work happens out of sight. But you know the focus it takes and how important it is to have a team that knows how to show up for each other when it matters.

So, while the holiday has passed, the appreciation hasn’t.

Perioperative Nurses Week is coming November 8–14. Keep your eyes peeled for an email and social posts with more about what’s ahead.

Did you know the 3M™ Bair Hugger™ Warming System is backed by more published outcomes research compared to other leading convective and conductive warming solutions on the market? Explore the research and discover a solution portfolio designed to support temperature monitoring and patient normothermia throughout the surgical journey. When it comes to perioperative temperature management, the evidence matters.

https://bit.ly/46EwF5W

As the workday comes to a close, we pause to remember Sept. 11, 2001, and all those whose lives were forever changed that day.

We honor the nurses and healthcare professionals who answered the call, caring for the injured and supporting those affected in the aftermath.

Today is also a reminder of what it means to show up for others during their hardest moments. To the nurses who continue to carry that responsibility every day, your compassion and dedication make a huge difference.