International PeriAnaesthesia Week 2025
Nurses working in preanaesthesia and postanaesthesia care, ambulatory surgery, and pain management are dedicated to caring for patients and their families. They are passionate about what they do as nurses. IPAW25 is an opportunity to educate nursing colleagues and the community about the professionalism and passionate care that is delivered by perianaesthesia nurses every day.
ACORN G.A.S. Awards
During International Perianaesthesia week in February, the ACORN G.A.S. Awards highlight those who advocate for not only our patients, but for our future perianaesthesia nursing profession. They are Guiding to novice nurses, they are Approachable to colleagues, patients, and visitors, and have a Special gift of seeing the unseen. Make sure to nominate your colleagues to go into the draw to win great prizes!
Nominations are now closed.
IPAW Poster
Download the following poster to hang in your break room or corridors and encourage your colleagues to scan the QR code and nominate nurses that embody the G.A.S. Award core values.
IPAW Bunting
Download this fun and colourful bunting to hang in your break room or corridors.
Activities for the week
'Pin the needle to the space'
Think 'pin the tail on the donkey' but for spinal anaesthesia. Download your spinal poster and your instructions and syringe/needle cutouts (below).
- Cut out the syringe images and add bluetac/ adhesives to the backs of each cutout. You may like to add the staff names as well.
- Blindfolded, staff need to try to stick the syringe cutout as close to the correct spinal insertion site as possible.
- Closest correct position wins.
Find the ACORNs
Download our 'find the ACORNs' activity sheet to add to your tearoom or education spaces. There are 10 hidden ACORNs in the Operating Room - can you find them all?
The answer sheet can be provided by contacting cec@acorn.org.au
Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing course
Looking for education in the area of perianaesthesia? Check out our Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing course.
The ‘Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing’ course is designed for novice perioperative nurses entering the perioperative clinical environment, and experienced perioperative nurses requiring revision of fundamental anaesthetic nursing concepts and requirements. This course is designed in collaboration with the ACORN Standards for Perioperative Nursing in Australia (Clinical and Professional Standards), 16th edition, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
Our Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing course is closely aligned with the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) position statement on the assistant for the anaesthetist (PS08) and its stated purpose. ANZCA is supportive of the course and commends ACORN on this important initiative.
(16 CPD points)