Perioperative Nurse Week celebrates the vital contributions of perioperative nurses every year in the second week of November. These dedicated professionals provide critical care before, during, and after surgical procedures, ensuring patient safety and optimal outcomes. Take time this week to recognize their expertise, compassion, and unwavering commitment to healthcare.
Want to sponsor Perioperative Nurse Week? Learn how
Expected Perioperative Nurse Week Deals
Perioperative Nurse Week is a time for recognition and appreciation, rather than commercial deals. Many hospitals and healthcare systems, such as HCA Healthcare and Mayo Clinic, organize internal events, appreciation lunches, and awards ceremonies for their perioperative nursing staff. Professional organizations like the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) often provide educational resources, webinars, and networking opportunities. Medical supply companies like Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic may sponsor educational initiatives or provide gifts to healthcare facilities. Look for local businesses offering discounts to healthcare workers with valid ID, and consider supporting nursing scholarships or relief funds. We will update this page with confirmed live appreciation programs as November approaches.
Platform Guide for Perioperative Nurse Week
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #PerioperativeNurseWeek. Share stories of outstanding nurses or highlight the importance of their role in surgical teams.
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Mention @NatlToday and use #PerioperativeNurseWeek. Post statistics about surgical safety improvements or share quotes from nurses about their dedication.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #PerioperativeNurseWeek. Create a community post asking people to share their appreciation for perioperative nurses.
Perioperative Nurse Week Hero
Isabel Hampton Robb
History of Perioperative Nurse Week
The House of Delegates of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses decided in 1979 that one day of the year should be set aside for perioperative nurses. This day would be to celebrate and spread awareness about the work and contributions of these nurses among the general public.
The day selected was 14 November. Over time, the single day became a week-long celebration of the dedication and hard work put in by all the perioperative nurses across the country.
Perioperative nurses handle the care of patients who need surgery or other invasive procedures. They interact with everyone involved, the patients, their families, the doctors, and other medical personnel involved to ensure their patient’s comfort.
Inside an operating room, perioperative nurses would work as scrub nurses in charge of the instruments, or as circulating nurses, who ensure the quality of nursing care throughout the procedure.
Pre and post-surgery, they are the nurses who ensure that the patients have all the information they need to continue healing and have the best possible care in the hospital. The job is frequently stressful, but nurses perform their duties cheerfully.
Perioperative nurses are the primary advocates of patient care, with a more hands-on approach than doctors can manage. As these nurses are present for the procedure from end to end, they stay aware of everything the patient needs and ensure they get the attention they need.
Because of the nature of their profession, perioperative nurses are excellent problem solvers and key factors that ensure their patients successfully recover.
Perioperative Nurse Week timeline
AORN is established to form a community for nurses working in the operating room.
The House of Delegates of the AORN passes a day to appreciate perioperative nurses.
The AORN decides that the work done by perioperative nurses needs a week of discussion.
Is the opportunity to further spread information about the work of nurses in the O.R.
Perioperative Nurse Week FAQs
When is Perioperative Nurse Week?
Perioperative Nurse Week 2026 runs from Sunday, November 8 through Saturday, November 14, honoring the vital role these nurses play in surgical care across the nation.
How many perioperative nurses are there in the U.S.?
According to the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), there are over 200,000 perioperative registered nurses in the United States. This dedicated workforce is essential for the millions of surgeries performed annually.
What is the typical career path for a perioperative nurse?
A perioperative nurse typically begins with a nursing degree (ADN or BSN), passes the NCLEX, and gains experience in general nursing before specializing. Many then pursue certification like the CNOR (Certified Perioperative Nurse) to advance their expertise.
What is the difference between a perioperative nurse and other surgical staff?
Perioperative nurses are registered nurses (RNs) who specialize in patient care throughout the surgical experience—pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative. Unlike surgical technologists or assistants, RNs provide comprehensive nursing care, assess patient needs, and administer medications.
How To Observe Perioperative Nurse Week?
Organize a competition in your local hospital
You can use the competition as a way to spread information among your community about the work of perioperative nurses.
Host a lunch to thank O.R. nurses
Be sure to work around their very busy schedules! A free meal will go a long way towards showing your appreciation to the perioperative nurses in your community.
Circulate informative pamphlets
Take information from the AORN and put it on well-designed pamphlets and spread them around. This way you can help support the point of Perioperative Nurse Week, which is to share information about the work that perioperative nurses do.
5 Important Facts About Perioperative Nursing You Should Know
There’s a film about them
“Behind the Mask,” the film goes into the high-stakes work taken up by perioperative nurses.
There are a lot of perioperative nurses
The AORN records over 43,000 professionals who are part of the community of O.R. nurses.
There’s an organization offering O.R. information
The subsidiary is the AORN Syntegrity Solution, which documents the best praxis by nurses.
Perioperative nursing needs special certification
This certificate program is in addition to the standard qualifications of a B.Sc. and licensing.
Well educated nurses affect patient mortality
The better educated the nurses are, it is likely patients will recover without complications.
Why We Observe Perioperative Nurse Week
We don’t know enough about O.R. nurses
Perioperative nursing is a highly specialized field, where nurses do an incredible amount of work. It is important to acknowledge this work and the dedication of the nurses.
Nurses work with everyone
Apart from patients, their families, and their healthcare providers, nurses also work with lawyers to ensure the best of patient care.
We always need more nurses
As people live longer, more complicated lives, nurses are essential figures in the healthcare field, advocating for their patients and providing life-saving care.
Perioperative Nurse Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | November 9–15 | Sunday–Saturday |
| 2026 | November 8–14 | Sunday–Saturday |
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