The Oak August 2025
Welcome to the August issue of The Oak.
ACORN is pleased to announce that the Patient skin antisepsis standard is now open for public consultation. We invite all perioperative professionals, stakeholders, and interested contributors to review the draft and share their feedback. The consultation period ends on 14 September.
The ACORN 2026 International Conference website is now live and the call for abstracts closes on 19 September 2025. We look forward to opening registrations soon.
ACORN’s journal, Journal of Perioperative Nursing, is again running the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition for higher degree students undertaking perioperative nursing research. The winner will receive complimentary full registration to the 2026 ACORN Conference. Entries close on Friday 10 October 2025.
Tracy Kerle
Board Chair
Have your say
ACORN is pleased to announce that the Patient skin antisepsis standard is now open for public consultation. This draft document is part of our commitment to developing high-quality, evidence-based guidance that supports safe and effective perioperative practice across Australia.
We invite all perioperative professionals, stakeholders, and interested contributors to review the draft and share their feedback. The consultation period ends on 14 September. Your insights are vital to ensuring this standard is practical, relevant and reflective of the real-world experiences of our perioperative community.
Why your feedback matters
The public comment process plays a key role in shaping ACORN standards, ensuring that they are:
- clinically sound and informed by evidence
- practical and implementable across diverse settings
- aligned with the experiences of frontline perioperative professionals.
We ask that you download the draft document from the ACORN website, then submit your comments through the provided survey link. Please avoid using track changes or adding feedback directly within the documents, as this hinders the review process.
By contributing your voice, you are helping build safer, stronger perioperative environments across Australia. Whether you're a nurse, an educator, a student, medical company representative or manager your input is essential.
Additional draft standards will be released throughout the year for consultation. Make sure you’re subscribed to ACORN updates on social media and The Oak newsletter, so you never miss a chance to contribute.
Thank you for being part of this collaborative process!
Transforming the identities of perioperative nurses during COVID-19: A grounded theory approach
Léia Regina de Souza Alcântara, Laisa Polatri Piai, Aline Balandis Costa, Miriam Fernanda Sanches Alarcon, Wilza Carla, Silvia Cristina Mangini Bocchi, Marla Andreia Garcia de Avila
Eloisa Mae Gabatan
Research
This study evaluates the efficacy of ERAS-based nursing interventions in improving recovery outcomes for patients undergoing surgical treatment for LDH.
Clinical outcomes of laparoscopic vs robotic-assisted cholecystectomy in acute care surgery
This cohort study of 844 428 patients, found that RAC and LC had similar bile duct injury rates, but RAC was associated with higher major postoperative complications, increased post-operative drain use, and longer hospital stays.
Findings of this study suggest that preoperative antibiotic treatment does not affect the severity of appendicitis, and waiting for surgery without antibiotics does not significantly affect the outcome.
The results of this study demonstrate that the modified open anterior mesh repair can treat both inguinal and femoral hernias in women, but further evaluation is warranted.
Nationwide trends and perioperative outcomes of alcohol withdrawal syndrome after major operation
This study found that AWS is associated with worse surgical outcomes, extended hospitalisations and increased costs. These findings underscore the need for standardised perioperative screening and targeted management strategies to mitigate AWS-related risks.
Head strikes among perioperative personnel in the United States: A mixed methods study
Head strikes were found to be a common but underreported occupational hazard in perioperative and periprocedural settings. Multi-faceted interventions addressing equipment design, workspace organization, and reporting culture are needed to reduce such risks.
Factors associated with turnover among perioperative nurses after the COVID-19 pandemic
This study explored factors associated with anticipated or actual turnover among perioperative nurses after the pandemic. Qualitative data showed that organizational leader support focused on perioperative nurses is needed to recruit and retain nurses.
Participants in this study reported a mild level of mental fatigue and a moderate level of missed perioperative nursing care. Implementing targeted interventions such as resilience training programs, improving nurse-to-patient ratios, and optimizing shift schedules may help reduce fatigue and enhance care quality.
This nurse-led program showed promising results in optimizing elderly patients for surgery and improving perioperative outcomes while enhancing and empowering the role of nurses.
Articles
Championing surgical safety: A perioperative nurse’s perspective on infection prevention
Amanda Heitman, a perioperative nurse with over 20 years' experience and member of Infection Control Today® Editorial Advisory Board, has dedicated her career to patient safety and surgical excellence. Learn more about her path to where she is now.
Sharps safety starts with communication, not just devices
Sharps safety in health care goes far beyond personal protective equipment. Amanda Heitman outlines a layered strategy of training, communication and device innovation aimed at reducing needlestick injuries in even the busiest clinical environments.
C-arm drape contamination: Why the top of the image intensifier poses the greatest risk
The C-arm is used in many surgical procedures—but its drape is a known high-risk area for sterile field contamination. One study found that 17 percent of C-arm drapes were contaminated immediately after initial draping. Within just 20 minutes, that number jumped to 50 percent, and by 80 minutes, 80 percent were contaminated.
The next frontier in infection control: AI-driven operating rooms
Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safe.
Robot performs realistic surgery without human help
Robot performs realistic surgery without human help. A robot trained on videos of surgeries performed a lengthy phase of a gallbladder removal without human help. The robot operated for the first time on a lifelike patient, and during the operation, responded to and learned from voice commands from the team – like a novice surgeon working with a mentor. The robot performed unflappably across trials and with the expertise of a skilled human surgeon, even during unexpected scenarios typical in real life medical emergencies.
Documents of note
Definition of Nursing and the Nurse (ICN)
This document is grounded in disciplinary knowledge, ethical standards, and human connection affirming nursing as a science-based, people-centred and socially just profession. The definitions were unanimously approved at the ICN Council of National Nursing Association Representatives held at the recent ICN 2025 Congress in Helsinki where 7000 nurses attended from more than 130 countries, including Australia.
Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council 2023 Annual Report
This report provides a summary of the key themes, points for consideration and recommendations identified by the Council.
NSQHS Standards (third edition): Consultation open (ACSQHC)
The Commission is undertaking broad public consultation to inform the development of the NSQHS Standards (third edition), in collaboration with the healthcare system and community representatives.
The AORN Foundation aims to empower perioperative nurses in advancing patient and workplace safety through education and research. For over three decades, thanks to the generosity of individual donors, AORN chapters, and corporate partners, the Foundation has empowered tens of thousands of nurses to achieve their professional goals.
Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health (World Health Organization)
The Plan acknowledges the urgent need to address the health impacts of climate change, positioning health systems as part of the climate solution. It aims to provide a strategic framework to guide Member States, the WHO Secretariat and other stakeholders in developing climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems; enhancing surveillance and early warning systems; protecting vulnerable populations; and integrating health into climate policy and financing mechanisms.
The Victorian Quality and Safety Capability Framework (Safer Care Victoria)
The framework will serve as a vital resource to guide the development of these crucial capabilities in individuals and teams across the Victorian healthcare system.
Contaminated medicines and integrity of the pharmaceutical excipients supply chain (World Health Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
A landmark report unveiling critical findings on the persistent and preventable threat of contaminated medicines which claimed the lives and compromised the health of countless patients, predominantly children, through the ingestion of medicines with dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals.
PaRIS Survey - Australian National Report 2025
The Australian National Report on the OECD Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) outlines key findings from the first international survey of health outcomes and experiences of patients living with chronic conditions who are treated in GP practices.
This 15-page report summarises data findings across ten health areas, and outlines key insights for improving the quality of care for people living with chronic conditions.
Education resources
ORNAC approved perioperative education programs
The Perioperative Nursing Program (PONP) at the Learning Institute for Healthcare Providers, Nova Scotia, is shaping the next generation of perioperative nurses, making sure they are ready for the unique demands of the Canadian healthcare system. As an ORNAC-approved program, PONP aligns with the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC) Standards, Guidelines, and Position Statements, safeguarding quality, consistency, and credibility in perioperative education.
Intuitive + Becker's Content Hub
Robotics content hub, featuring webinars, eBooks, on-demand sessions, articles, podcasts and more.
Initiatives
This initiative is an evidence-based program that optimises perioperative management and outcomes, mitigates the patient’s response to surgical stress and empowers patients to actively participate in their own care.
GI breakthroughs reshaping care in 2025
From AI integration to minimally invasive procedures, here are eight breakthroughs shaping the future of GI care:
- AI-enhanced endoscopy
- Wearable devices for IBD monitoring
- Robotic-assisted liver surgery
- Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastro-gastrostomy
- Multi-contrast laser endoscopy
- Confocal laser endomicroscopy
- Faecal microbiota transplantation
- GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity management.
On-table reanimation of a paediatric heart from donation after circulatory death
A US team have successfully developed and performed the world’s first on-table heart reanimation for a three-month-old patient earlier this year. The new technique enables surgeons to temporarily reanimate a donor heart outside of the body with the use of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine.
Media
God complex (ABC News)
This is the hidden story of the toxic culture that enabled a neurosurgeon to operated inside Australia's hospital system despite repeated allegations of sexist and inappropriate behaviour, and a string of legal claims by devastated patients.
WHO virtual press conference on global health issues
The virtual press conference hosted by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Astronomers and surgeons join forces in the operating theatre
Astronomers and surgeons in the Netherlands are collaborating with industry to develop an optical instrument that delivers faster, more accurate imaging of tumour tissue and abnormal blood flow during surgery. The underlying technology comes from research into detecting exoplanets.
India Performs World's First Telerobotic Weight Loss Surgery Using SSI Mantra Over 900 km
The surgery was performed with the aid of the SSI Mantra, a state-of-the-art robotic surgical system designed to enable surgeons to operate remotely with high precision and control. The 900 km distance between the surgeon and the patient highlights the system’s capability to overcome geographical barriers, making advanced surgical care accessible to patients in remote or underserved regions.
VPNG Conference
Friday 8 August, Pullman Melbourne
NTPNA Conference
15–16 August, Darwin Hilton
SAPNA Conference
19–20 September, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
ACORN 2026 Conference
14–16 May 2026, Brisbane Convention Centre