Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70021
Rodney W Hicks, Christyana Visk, Ray-An B Talatala
{"title":"A Scoping Review of Interventions to Prevent Lost Surgical Specimens in the Preanalytical Phase.","authors":"Rodney W Hicks, Christyana Visk, Ray-An B Talatala","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Specimen management is inherently complex. Although rare, lost surgical specimens indicate failure to meet patient safety expectations. Thirteen pieces of evidence were examined through a scoping review to investigate lost surgical specimens during the preanalytical phase. Lost specimens should be recognized as sentinel events. Organizations are encouraged to establish interdisciplinary teams, process-map specimen management according to policies and procedures, use event-reporting systems, and explore systems-level safeguards to minimize opportunities for lost specimens. Intraoperatively, specimens should be placed into containers immediately after collection and confirmed using callout/read-back techniques. Confirming the specimen in the container is essential. Specimen confirmation and review of labeling should take place during the surgical debriefing. Preventing specimen loss necessitates leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and proactive adoption of technology-driven systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 2","pages":"152-162"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70022
Melissa Kneisley
{"title":"Guidelines in Practice: Autologous Tissue Management.","authors":"Melissa Kneisley","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70022","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Establishing a safe environment for every perioperative patient, including those undergoing procedures that involve autologous tissue management, is essential to achieving positive outcomes. The recently updated AORN \"Guideline for autologous tissue management\" provides perioperative team members with evidence-based recommendations on how to safely preserve and manage autologous tissue. This article provides an overview of the guideline and discusses recommendations for selecting an interdisciplinary team to develop and maintain safe handling of autologous tissue methods; preserving cranial bone flaps; handling autologous tissue; packaging and labeling autologous tissue; transporting autologous tissue; and storage, disposal, and cleaning. It also includes a scenario describing best practices related to the safe handling of a cranial bone flap during replantation. Perioperative nurses should review the guideline in its entirety and apply the recommendations to support the safe handling of autologous tissue in the perioperative environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 2","pages":"163-171"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70027
Sunitha Abraham, Deshawnta Banks, Carol Biggs, Bridgette Johnson
{"title":"Empowering Perioperative Nurses: A Structured Mentorship Program to Enhance Retention and Satisfaction.","authors":"Sunitha Abraham, Deshawnta Banks, Carol Biggs, Bridgette Johnson","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70027","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Newly hired perioperative staff members (nurses and surgical technologists) often find it challenging to adapt to the high-pressure environment of the OR, resulting in decreased job satisfaction and higher turnover. An academic Level 1 trauma center implemented a structured Perioperative Mentorship Program to tackle these challenges. The program was based on the five stages of the mentoring process, Benner's Novice to Expert Theory, and Bandura's Social Learning Theory. It featured monthly one-on-one mentoring, bimonthly group meetings, and continuous communication. Both quantitative (eg, turnover rates, satisfaction scores) and qualitative (eg, reflective journals, open-ended feedback) metrics were used. Over three years, 21 newly hired staff members participated in the program. Staff member turnover dropped from 10.46% to 5.6%, while job satisfaction scores rose from 3.88 to 4.04 on a 5-point scale. Qualitative feedback indicated enhanced clinical confidence, team integration, and professional development. Structured mentorship enhances perioperative nursing retention, satisfaction, and clinical readiness.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 2","pages":"142-151"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70002
Tamara G R Macieira, Hwayoung Cho, Ragnhildur I Bjarnadottir, Lisiane Pruinelli
{"title":"Emerging Technological Innovations in Perioperative Nursing.","authors":"Tamara G R Macieira, Hwayoung Cho, Ragnhildur I Bjarnadottir, Lisiane Pruinelli","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70002","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rapid evolution of technology is reshaping perioperative nursing, transforming care delivery and management in surgical settings. Key innovations, such as electronic health records, artificial intelligence-assisted surgeries, and minimally invasive techniques, have revolutionized OR practices. Beyond the surgical environment, emerging data science methodologies, including large language models and artificial intelligence, are enabling the analysis of large real-world datasets to derive critical insights into patient care. These tools significantly enhance the tracking of nursing-sensitive indicators, such as pain management, fall prevention, and postoperative complications. Furthermore, digital health technologies, including mobile health applications, wearables, telehealth, and remote monitoring, are empowering perioperative teams to engage patients throughout their surgical journey, improving safety, recovery, and management. This article explores the integration of these technologies in perioperative nursing, emphasizing their implications for practice, clinical outcomes, and the need for nurses' technological adaptability to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":"46-58"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70004
Nuran Ayşen Pamir Aksoy, Nermin Ocaktan
{"title":"Accuracy of Subjective Temperature Assessment of Surgical Irrigation Fluids: A Randomized Controlled Single-Blind Comparative Study.","authors":"Nuran Ayşen Pamir Aksoy, Nermin Ocaktan","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70004","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studies have shown that using warmed irrigation solution is an effective method for maintaining perioperative patient normothermia. This randomized single-blind comparative study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of a hand-checking method to assess irrigation fluid temperature and suitability for use. Twenty-eight scrub nurses were enrolled and assigned to one of three groups using either hot, cold, or euthermic irrigation fluid. Measurements were taken at 30-minute intervals in either a cold (18 °C [64.4 °F]) or room-temperature (22 °C to 24 °C [71.6 °F to 75.2 °F]) environment. Incorrect assessments regarding irrigation fluid temperature were made by 89.3% of participants, with 78.6% doing so in the cold environment. Participants with experience in gynecological and plastic surgery were more accurate in their assessments. This study revealed disparities between subjective assessments and objectively measured temperatures. The high rate of inaccurate evaluations underscores the need to use objective methods for temperature measurements.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":"89-100"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70001
Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, Nancy Stimson
{"title":"Using Analytics to Reduce Perioperative Clinical Variance.","authors":"Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, Nancy Stimson","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70001","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The bulk of identified waste in US health care spending is attributed to hospital-related care variance and inefficiencies from high-cost care delivery practices. Surgical procedures account for 70% to 80% of variance cost. Using a suite of artificial intelligence approaches, advanced health care analytics can process complex patient care data to identify hidden costs and variability from daily activities in the surgical services department. Electronic health record data that have been cohorted for similar surgical traits can improve efficiency and effectiveness to drive actionable changes to reduce unwarranted clinical variation and improve perioperative care quality while reducing costs. This article discusses the types of advanced health care analytics used in the surgical cohorting process and provides a clinical example that produced cost savings by reducing product variability.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":"59-67"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70000
Lu-Yen Anny Chen, Shu-Yi Wang, Shu-Chuan Amy Lin
{"title":"Predicting Postoperative Outcomes in Lower Gastrointestinal Surgery: A Machine Learning Approach Using Electronic Health Records.","authors":"Lu-Yen Anny Chen, Shu-Yi Wang, Shu-Chuan Amy Lin","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70000","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70000","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As surgical care becomes more complex, artificial intelligence offers promising opportunities to improve patient outcomes. This study investigated the use of machine learning to predict postoperative complications and the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing lower gastrointestinal surgery. We analyzed the operative electronic health records of 771 patients using Support Vector Machine models. The results indicate that patients' preoperative factors, such as age and the number of diagnoses, are significant predictors of postoperative complications. Precisely, an increased number of diagnoses correlates with increased complications and an elongated length of hospital stay. The Support Vector Machine model achieved a cross-validation accuracy of 75.56% in complication prediction. Integrating predictive models into practice can support early risk identification and targeted care. These findings highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in perioperative care and underscore the need for additional research to refine predictive models in nursing practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":"68-80"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aorn JournalPub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70003
Heather Zuhn, Jonathan Mroch
{"title":"Emerging Perioperative Uses of Artificial Intelligence to Aid in Performing Clinical Work.","authors":"Heather Zuhn, Jonathan Mroch","doi":"10.1002/aorn.70003","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.70003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can aid clinicians in performing clinical tasks while keeping their clinical judgment intact. Denver Health is a safety net hospital in Colorado that has implemented several workflows that include AI, with more planned for future implementation. This article illustrates how Denver Health has implemented a facility-designed predictive model to aid in the forecasting of postpartum hemorrhage, as well as another model focused on predicting the likelihood of patient no-shows on the day of surgery. Additionally, some surgeons have begun to use an AI ambient listening tool in their outpatient appointments to aid in the writing of clinical notes. Several workflows also use vendor-developed electronic health record AI tools. Although clinical studies have not been completed on these examples, clinicians can still benefit from learning about the efforts at other hospitals to integrate AI into various perioperative workflows with the goal of improving patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":"81-87"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145835251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preoperative Cutaneous Conditions and Postoperative Skin Injuries in Patients Undergoing Surgery in the Lateral Decubitus Position: A Prospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Kentaro Hara, Sotaro Takami, Takahiro Uemura, Reika Tachibana, Ryosuke Kumashiro, Ayaka Yuge, Koichiro Shimoyama, Koichi Tomoshige, Michiko Yamaguchi, Masaki Fujioka, Tsutomu Tagawa","doi":"10.1002/aorn.14441","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.14441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pressure injuries are a known complication during surgery, especially in patients positioned laterally under general anesthesia. This study investigated the relationship between preoperative transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and postoperative skin injuries in patients undergoing thoracoscopic pneumonectomy. A prospective observational study was conducted in 86 patients aged 20 years or older. Preoperative assessments included TEWL; stratum corneum hydration; and skin temperature, moisture, and pH at high-risk sites. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to evaluate predictive factors. Preoperative TEWL was significantly associated with postoperative skin injuries (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.545, B = -0.094; 95% confidence interval, -0.161 to -0.037; P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified a TEWL cut-off of 19.5 g/m<sup>2</sup>/h, with sensitivity of 0.500 and specificity of 0.903. These findings suggest that TEWL may indicate patients at risk for postoperative skin injuries, and early preventive strategies may reduce the incidence of these injuries in high-risk patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":"380-392"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145598090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Being Present in an Impersonal Environment: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of OR Nurses in Patient Encounters.","authors":"Johanne Søborg Hartmann, Malene Missel, Bente Martinsen","doi":"10.1002/aorn.14440","DOIUrl":"10.1002/aorn.14440","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A patient's initial encounter with the OR nurses is essential to the way patients feel in the OR. This qualitative study employed a hermeneutic approach to explore the experiences of OR nurses regarding presence during patient encounters. After conducting 16 individual interviews, seven themes were identified. The themes elucidated the value of presence for nurses in their patient interactions. Presence requires nurses to be open to perception and strike a balance between intimacy and distance, respecting the various ways in which patients manage their feelings of anxiety and loss of control. Task-centered care impedes the capacity to be present because this kind of care prioritizes efficiency, productivity, specialization, and technology. To improve clinical practice, a shift is needed toward more patient-centered care in the OR and at an organizational health care system level.</p>","PeriodicalId":54317,"journal":{"name":"Aorn Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":"393-405"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145598004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}