What Is AORN (aorn.org)?

Updated

AORN is the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, a professional organization that supports surgical and perioperative nurses with evidence-based guidelines, continuing education, and clinical resources. Its stated purpose is to define standards that help keep healthcare workers and surgical patients safe while supporting high-quality care. The site is most useful if you are a perioperative nurse, a nurse manager, or a facility looking for standardized practice guidance, CNE, or team training.

What AORN Provides

The organization centers on three main offerings, based on the site's own description:

  • Evidence-based guidelines — AORN defines standards for perioperative practice, and offers implementation tools and resources so teams can apply standardized techniques facility-wide.
  • Continuing education — Courses and education spotlighted on the site carry credit hours in several formats (for example, CH, AEU, and IPCH).
  • Clinical and community resources — Including 24/7 support from a perioperative community, plus a journal, store, career hub, and foundation.

Education and Training Options

The homepage's "Spotlight on Education" section lists several programs. Credit values shown on the page include:

Program Credits listed
Hybrid course for labor and delivery nurses participating in Cesarean section procedures 36.4 CH, 36.4 AEU, 9.7 IPCH
Periop 101 OR (online course preparing novice nurses for the operating room; part of the full Periop 101 Program) 39.8 CH, 39.8 AEU, 10.8 IPCH
Additional comprehensive course (description truncated on page) 18.5 CH, 18.5 AEU

A facility subscription is also described: it provides access to the most current AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice along with a complete set of implementation tools and resources.

Membership and Access

The site promotes a trial offer: AORN Membership for Just $1, described as two months of full access to guideline implementation tools, CNE, and community support, with the note "No risk. Cancel anytime." If you only need to evaluate whether the guidelines and tools fit your practice, this is the lowest-commitment entry point mentioned on the page. Beyond the trial, the site does not state pricing in the material available here, so check the JOIN/RENEW page for current terms.

Other Things You Can Do on the Site

  • Events and workshops — Registration for AORN Guideline and Leadership Workshops, described as practical, interactive learning to strengthen expertise and leadership.
  • Awards and research — Nominations for the Award for Excellence and Individual Achievement Awards (open through Sept. 30), and abstract submissions for the Nursing Research Symposium.
  • Guideline public commenting — Open commenting on the Guideline for Care of the Patient Receiving Moderate Sedation/Analgesia.
  • Congress updates — Coverage such as the passing of the gavel to a new president at the Second House of Delegates.
  • Mission Partner Program — Long-term, purpose-driven partnerships intended to advance perioperative care.

Who It's For

AORN is aimed at perioperative and operating room nurses, labor and delivery nurses involved in surgical procedures, nurse educators, and facilities seeking standardized, evidence-based practice resources. If your goal is individual credentialing and CNE, the membership trial and education courses are the relevant starting points. If your goal is facility-wide standardization, the guidelines plus facility subscription and implementation tools are the relevant path.