The intricate world of perioperative nursing encompasses patient care across the entire surgical experience, from pre-op preparation to post-operative recovery. This profession plays a central role in orchestrating the surgical process, guaranteeing patients receive quality care.

To navigate this specialized field effectively, a thorough understanding of its infrastructure is crucial. This includes the various organizations, institutions, programs, and the distinct responsibilities of each player within the community. Whether you're a trainee, a seasoned professional, an educator, or a supervisor, grasping these elements empowers you to leverage the perioperative nursing ecosystem throughout your career. Follow along with our video on the perioperative infrastructure while you read! 

Membership Organizations

Within the framework of the perioperative nursing profession, membership organizations are groups that provide a platform for perioperative nurses and other organizations to connect, collaborate, and share their passion for this specialized field. Operationally, membership organizations are motivated by supporting and growing their member bases and achieve such by providing a wealth of beneficial resources and activities, such as:

The primary example of a membership organization in the perioperative nursing profession is our industry partner, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). AORN acts as a vital hub, bringing together nurses and organizations and fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose within the perioperative nursing community. Another example is the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA). However, this association specifically caters to surgery centers rather than individual nurses.

Certification Bodies

Certification bodies are organizations that administer credentials through evaluating the knowledge, skills, and abilities of perioperative nurses. Their evaluation criteria reflect the highest standards within the profession and serve as a community benchmark in testing safe patient care and knowledge that a perioperative nurse implements in and out of the operating room.

Operationally, certification bodies have three general functions within the infrastructure of perioperative nursing: (1) to develop certifications that ensure their ongoing relevance by reflecting the ever-evolving landscape of the perioperative nursing occupation, (2) to serve as an entity that validates skillsets within the perioperative profession, and (3) to provide professional development opportunities that allow the perioperative nursing community to leverage their credibility for career progression.

Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) is the primary certification body in the perioperative nursing space, validating the competencies of perioperative nurses within various career stages and niches through our certification programs and professional development resources.

Other examples of relevant certification bodies include CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant/Aide), AST* (Association for Surgical Technologist), and CST* (Certified Surgical Technologist). The process of earning one’s CNA varies by state, so if you are interested in obtaining your CNA, please make sure you're referring to instructions from your state of residence.

*Disclaimer: While AST and CST often feed into the perioperative nursing pipeline, they are not certifications for licensed perioperative nurses.

Regulatory Agencies

Regulatory agencies are the cornerstones of the infrastructure of perioperative nursing, maintaining professional practice standards and policies for nurses and community groups within the profession. Such governing agencies can control and determine policies related to the scope of practice, ethical patient guidelines, and the accreditation of educational/professional development programs within the perioperative space. These regulatory entities deliver checks and balances throughout to ecosystem of the perioperative nursing profession in order to safeguard patient care excellence and measure competency.

Key regulatory bodies within the perioperative nursing profession include the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), The Joint Commission, and the American Nurses Association (ANA). CMS, OSHA, and the Joint Commission develop regulatory and accreditation requirements for nursing and other healthcare-oriented professions while ANA establishes the ethical standards for the nursing profession. AORN expands on the ANA Code of Ethics to provide specific examples applicable to the perioperative field through the Perioperative Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice and the Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. While these AORN guidelines are not enforceable, they represent best practice and the base framework for working in the profession.

As a subcategory within the infrastructure, there are also accrediting agencies such as the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) that establish requirements for nursing certification/education and evaluate whether they reflect the highest standards of patient care.

State nursing boards are also another layer of regulatory oversight to guarantee sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to provide safe and effective patient care. These state-wide regulatory bodies set policies for nurses practicing within their state, such as re/licensure requirements. For instance, several state nursing boards have determined an accredited certification can count in place of Continuing Education credits (CEs) for RN license renewal.

Here is a list of the states that offer this renewal method (with their nursing state board sites linked for your use):

If you have any questions about your state’s renewal by accredited certification policy, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at info@cc-institute.org. 

Training & Education Programs

The ever-evolving field of perioperative nursing demands continuous learning and skill development. Within the infrastructure of perioperative nursing, the training and educational programs provided by numerous organizations serve as one of the critical gears to the system, providing perioperative nurses supplemental opportunities to hone skills, stay current with best practices, and advance professionally.

Training and educational programs can take the form of perioperative learning activities, workshops, and courses anywhere from the degree or facility level with university perioperative nursing and hospital-based orientation programs to training offerings from membership and/or certification organizations. Here are some key examples:

AORN’s Periop 101 Course provides a solid foundation for nurses new to the perioperative profession. 

Nurse In Surgery Essentials (NISE) certificate of mastery course at NIFA 

CCI’s PEP-COM & PSP-COM Certificates of Mastery

As you may have noticed, training and education programs, and the organizations that provide them, often have symbiotic relationships with the other entities within the perioperative nursing infrastructure and, much of the time, are one and the same.

Other Organizations

Other organizations within the perioperative nursing space include news outlets, journals, and niche media organizations. These resources serve as vital communication channels, sharing the latest research, best practices, industry updates, relatable experiences, and professional development opportunities.

Journals publish research findings that inform best practices and guide clinical decision-making in the OR and news outlets report on industry trends, innovations, and success stories, fostering a sense of community and shared learning among perioperative nurses. In the perioperative nursing community, the top news outlets and journals are: 

AORN Journal: The official publication of our industry partner, AORN, featuring research articles, best practice guidelines, and clinical updates specific to perioperative nursing.

OR Manager: This publication focuses on leadership and management issues specific to the operating room environment.

OR Today: This news outlet provides daily updates on surgical procedures, technology, and best practices in the OR.

Perioperative Care & Operating Room Management: This journal offers a comprehensive look at clinical practice, quality improvement initiatives, and perioperative patient care.

Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing: This journal publishes articles relevant to perioperative nursing and offers CE credits for nurses across various specialties. 

Beyond the traditional news and journal channels, there are also niche media organizations such as First Case, which delivers podcasts and CE opportunities relevant to the perioperative profession. Beyond Clean is another firm that does the same; however, it is more directed toward sterile processing development.

News outlets and journals can also collaborate with other cohorts within the perioperative nursing structure to share communication regarding different professional development, educational, and membership opportunities as well as regulatory updates on practice.

Participating in the Community

With all of the moving parts and entities within the infrastructure of perioperative nursing, there are various resources at your fingertips. Join a membership association, get certified, and make sure to stay informed about regulatory functions and requirements. These entities within the perioperative nursing infrastructure exist to support your success. Leverage them to achieve your professional goals!

Are you intrigued by the inner workings of perioperative nursing and want to hear more? Check out our video on its infrastructure!