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srandardsStandards

THE 2010 – 2011 ACORN STANDARDS FOR PERIOPERATIVE NURSING WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PERIOPERATIVE TEAMS.  THE TEAMS INCLUDED TEAM LEADERS AND EXPERT PERIOPERATIVE NURSES WHO COMPLETED AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS PUBLICATION, AND RELEVANT CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE. WITH ACORN’S MISSION TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN PERIOPERATIVE NURSING, THE STANDARDS WHICH ARE REFERENCED, REFLECTING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE, THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF PATIENT CARE AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE IN THE PERIOPERATIVE SETTING CAN BE ACHIEVED. THE ACORN STANDARDS PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDED STANDARDS OF PRACTICE AND ROLE EXPECTATIONS, PROVIDING A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR PERIOPERATIVE NURSES AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED WITH THE CARE OF PATIENTS IN THE PERIOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT.

The review of the Standards is coordinated by the ACORN Standards Committee and involves perioperative nurses across Australia.  I am indebted to the expert perioperative nurses who assisted so willingly in completing these reviews, ensuring that the publication is current and relevant to perioperative practice.
 
Medical Company Representatives to the Perioperative Environment
The ACORN standards not only provide a minimum standard of practice for perioperative nurses and healthcare facilities, but also requirements for all visitors including medical company representatives (MCRs). Relevant standards for MCRs   READ MORE

In 2009, multiple requests were received from ACORN Members, for the ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nursing to be made available on-line. A decision was made by the ACORN Board to make this edition available in multiple formats, making it easier for perioperative nurses to access this invaluable resource in their workplace.  This edition is therefore being made available in hard copy, DVD, and on-line at the ACORN website.  The change in the design from the traditional folder to book has been retained due to the cost effectiveness in producing the standards.  

Changes to this edition includes:
 2 new Standards (S26 Fire Safety in the Operating Suite and S27 Specimen identification, collection and handling), 1 Guideline (G6 Instrument Tracking), and 2 Position Statements (PS12 Cultural Diversity and PS13 Perioperative Nurses as Surgical Assistants).  With the demand for new skills in clinical practice due to advances in technology, these resources have been developed in response to requests from perioperative nurses to support their practice.  .  


An extensive review of PS 6 (Ensuring correct patient, correct site, and correct procedure) was undertaken to ensure that the professional statement reflected the commitment of ACORN to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Safe Surgery Saves Lives Program.  The professional statement has therefore been renamed to PS 6 Surgical Safety to reflect the changes that have been made in the document.  Perioperative nurses are legally and professionally accountable for the delivery of healthcare in their practice in an increasingly complex healthcare system.  An extensive review was therefore completed on PS 7 (Legal Implications) to ensure that the professional statement reflected current practice.  This resulted in renaming the document to PS 7 Accountability for Practice.  

The 2006 Competency Standards have been included in this edition as ACORN believes that the Competency Standards compliment the ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nurses and should therefore be published as one document.     

Purchase your copy of the 2010 – 2011 ACORN Standards
Copies of the 2010 -2011 edition can be purchased using the order form on the ACORN website
See link in LH Navigation >>>>>>.
 

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