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Public Consultation - SSQCPE and PPSPN drafts

We are excited to announce that drafts of ACORN's clinical and professional standards are now open for public comment!

Each standard will be available for feedback for a period of six weeks, and we strongly encourage all perioperative stakeholders to contribute their insights. Your feedback is crucial to ensuring the standards are relevant, accurate and practical, ultimately enhancing patient safety in the perioperative environment across Australia. To provide your feedback, simply download the draft document of the standard you wish to review, then follow the link to the survey provided beneath the document. The survey should take approximately seven minutes to complete.

Please refrain from adding feedback directly within the document or using track changes, as previous consultations have shown that documents with multiple track changes are challenging to analyse effectively. We appreciate your valuable input and look forward to your contribution!

The public comment process plays a vital role in the development and refinement of these standards. By sharing your feedback, you are helping to shape standards that reflect the diverse perspectives and experiences of those working in the perioperative field. Your voice is integral to ensuring these standards are both practical and applicable, supporting ongoing improvements in patient care and safety across Australia. Together, we can make a significant impact on the future of perioperative practice.

Download the poster for your tearoom or education board to let your team know how they can be involved: ACORN Standards Public Consultation Poster

Now open:

Circulating nurse

Download draft for review - Circulating nurse

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q7KV2XV

Feedback open 3 March 2026 – 13 April 2026

 

Instrument nurse

Download draft for review - Instrument nurse

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/32BHM3Y

Feedback open 3 March 2026 – 13 April 2026

 

Day procedure service nurse

Download draft for review - Day procedure service nurse

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/299SJVZ

Feedback open 10 March 2026 – 20 April 2026

 

Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA)

Download draft for review - Perioperative Nurse Surgical Assistant (PNSA)

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8TS77L9

Feedback open 11 March 2026 – 21 April 2026

 

Registered nurse (RN)

Download draft for review - Registered nurse (RN)

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q8KLB2K

Feedback open 11 March 2026 – 21 April 2026

 

Post Anaesthesia Care Unit nurse

Download draft for review - Post Anaesthesia Care Unit nurse

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/83FW6D8

Feedback open 11 March 2026 – 21 April 2026

 

Nurse educator

Download draft for review - Nurse educator

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8GR2WPD

Feedback open 11 March 2026 – 21 April 2026

 

Asepsis

Download draft for review - Asepsis

Feedback survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q2Q35L3

Feedback open 11 March 2026 – 21 April 2026

 

Closed:

Visitors to the perioperative environment – Feedback open 7 April – 8 May 2025

Perioperative team communication (formerly Surgical safety) – Feedback open 1 May – 15 June 2025

Management of accountable items – Feedback open 17 June – 28 July 2025

Patient skin antisepsis – Feedback open 28 July – 14 September 2025

Cleaning and maintaining the perioperative environment – Feedback open 15 September – 26 October 2025

Electrosurgical safety – Feedback open 24 September – 4 November 2025

Sharps and preventing sharps-related injury – Feedback open 29 September – 9 November 2025

Patient positioning and manual handling – Feedback open 16 October – 26 November 2025

Surgical plume – Feedback open 28 October – 8 December 2025

Latex and chlorhexidine sensitivity – Feedback open 28 October – 8 December 2025

Laser safety – Feedback open 3 November – 14 December 2025

Perioperative attire – Feedback open 11 December 2025 – 21 January 2026

Surgical hand antisepsis, gowning and gloving – Feedback open 17 December 2025 – 27 January 2026

Specimen identification, collection and handling – Feedback open 15 January 2026 – 25 February 2026

Nurse practitioner (NP) Feedback open 30 January 2026 – 12 March 2026

Enrolled nurse (EN) Feedback open 31 January 2026 – 13 March 2026

Preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia – Feedback open 17 February 2026 – 31 March 2026

Perioperative manager - Feedback open 24 February 2026 – 6 April 2026

Anaesthesia nurse – Feedback open 2 March 2026 – 10 April 2026