The Oak June 2025
Welcome! In this bumper issue you can read about the latest additions to ACORN’s education program, how the next edition of the ACORN Standards is progressing, the latest perioperative news around the world and a featured journal article about a nurse-led liberal fluid fasting regime.
The call for abstracts for our 2026 conference is now open. We welcome abstracts and education proposals that address the conference theme ‘Building Bridges: Strengthening collaborative perioperative care’.
In May, the directors held a strategic planning day with a professional facilitator to determine the strategic direction ACORN will follow for the next few years. We covered a lot of ground and are enthusiastic about ACORN’s future. A summary of the plan will be available to members soon.
Two important outcomes of the planning day were the board’s decision, pending member approval, to reinstate the role of president and create a general member category of membership. These initiatives will be addressed by special resolutions at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) later this month. Should the resolutions be passed, the president would perform the functions of both the board chair and the chief executive officer, which is now redundant. The category of general membership would allow perioperative nurses who do not have a local association (LA), either because they work in more than one state or territory or because their LA has closed, to be a member of ACORN. If the resolutions are passed, the ACORN Constitution will be changed accordingly.
We warmly invite you to attend the AGM on Saturday 28 June via Teams at 10.00 am AEST (9.30 am ACST, 8.00 am AWST). Please email contact @acorn.org.au to register your intention to attend.
Tracy Kerle
ACORN Board Chair
ACORN 2026 Conference
Th
e call for abstracts for ACORN 2026 Conference is now open! ACORN invites authors to submit abstracts and education proposals that address the conference theme ‘Building Bridges: Strengthening collaborative perioperative care’. The conference will be from Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 May 2026, in Brisbane.
To submit your abstract, please complete all the steps in the abstract portal.
Please email education@acorn.org.au with all abstract enquiries.
Webinars
ACORN Education webinars are a fantastic way to stay up-to-date with the latest in perioperative nursing practice.
- Expert-led learning: Hear from respected leaders in the field as they share insights, research and evidence-based practices to support excellence in perioperative care.
- Flexible and convenient: Access sessions anytime, anywhere. Watch live or catch up on-demand to suit your schedule.
- Topical and timely: Stay current with developments in infection prevention, patient safety, innovation and much more.
- Professional growth: Earn continuing professional development (CPD) point while expanding your knowledge and enhancing your practice.
- Member value: All ACORN webinars are free for ACORN members. This is a benefit of being part of the ACORN community. New webinars are added every month.
Simply login to your ACORN account to access the full suite of ACORN webinars.
Recent webinars include:
Grants and scholarships
Bravura Laser Safety Officer (LSO) scholarship applications closed on 31 May. Successful applicants will be notified via email. The next round of scholarship applications opens 1 September 2025. In each round, one ACORN member from each state is awarded a scholarship to complete Bravura Education's LSO training.
This laser safety officer course is suitable for those who work in an operating suite or other clinical environment that uses lasers. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the operation and hazards of lasers. The course is delivered online and takes eight to ten hours to complete. You can study at your own pace, in your own time and take as long as you like to do it. Assessment is a two-hour, online, open-book exam.
Courses
ACORN’s ‘Fundamentals of …’ courses provide a comprehensive suite of content, designed to ensure all fundamental perioperative nursing topics are covered. Courses range from 16 to 20 continuing professional development (CPD) points and are mapped and approved in line with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
To find out more about each of the courses available, visit the Education shop or, if you know which course you want to do, click on it below and follow the prompts.
Fundamentals of Anaesthetic Nursing
Fundamentals of Intraoperative Nursing
Coming soon: Fundamentals of PACU Nursing
And don’t forget that ACORN members receive a 15 per cent discount on all course registration fees! Simply email education@acorn.org.au to receive your member discount code.
Special interest groups
Are you passionate about a particular area of perioperative nursing? You may want to consider joining one of the ACORN Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to connect with like-minded passionate nurses and industry experts.
Current SIGs:
- Day surgery nurses
- Perioperative managers
- Perioperative enrolled nurses
- Preceptors and facilitators
- Perioperative PhD group.
And our newest SIG – Perioperative sustainability.
Draft standards public consultation
It’s been an exciting and productive few months in the clinical excellence portfolio, and I’m thrilled to share an update on the progress of the next iteration of the ACORN Standards.
We are well underway with public consultation! The first draft standard, 'Visitors to the perioperative environment’, was released early in April and has now closed for feedback. We are incredibly grateful for the enthusiastic, constructive and thoughtful responses we received. The quality of feedback from multidisciplinary stakeholders – including clinicians, patients, carers and people with lived experience – has been exceptional.
Genuine public consultation plays a vital role in building trust with the broader community. By inviting and incorporating feedback from members of the public and the wider perioperative network, we not only amplify the voices of consumers but also ensure our standards are relevant, implementable and inclusive. This collaborative approach strengthens the reliability of our documents and ultimately supports the delivery of safe, high-quality perioperative care across Australia.
The ‘Perioperative team communication’ draft standard is currently open for public consultation until Sunday 15 June 2025. We encourage all members to review the draft and provide your valuable feedback.
Behind the scenes, more than 20 perioperative professionals and content experts are actively working on the remaining draft standards. We are also collaborating with key professional organisations such as the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) to ensure consensus and clarity, particularly where standards intersect with other disciplines and sectors.
First ever consensus on surgical gloving best practice
Recently, I was honoured to represent ACORN at the ‘First ever consensus on surgical gloving best practice’ event, kindly supported by Mölnlycke. This international, multidisciplinary gathering brought together 40 to 50 experts, including surgeons, perioperative nurses and industry leaders. The outcomes of a global expert consensus on surgical gloving, grounded in systematic review and evidence-based recommendations, were presented. Key themes included glove fit, indicator systems, double gloving and protocols for glove damage and changes. The insights gained directly align with ACORN’s standards and strategic priorities, particularly around aseptic technique and surgical hand antisepsis. Notably, the consensus also addressed the importance of inclusive glove fitting to support safety for all team members. Materials and methodologies shared at the event are already informing our evidence summaries, and we look forward to integrating these into future revisions of standards. The experience also facilitated valuable networking with international leaders and reaffirmed ACORN’s position in global conversations about perioperative best practice.
Stryker Sustainability Series
In May, I participated as a panel member in the Stryker Sustainability Series, a national discussion forum held across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This opportunity centred on the ACORN Planetary health position statement, released in December 2024, and explored how perioperative nurses can take a practical, repeatable and meaningful approach to environmental sustainability within our departments. The sessions focused on translating principles into action – such as reducing waste, rethinking procurement and engaging teams in sustainability initiatives. It was inspiring to hear from clinicians across the country who are already leading innovative green changes in their perioperative environments. These conversations reflect the growing momentum in our profession to embed planetary health into perioperative practice and reinforce ACORN’s commitment to sustainability as a pillar of clinical excellence. ACORN has now initiated a Perioperative sustainability special interest group (SIG) for ACORN members. We have also developed a perioperative planetary health resource page to highlight relevant research, education content and resources to encourage members to foster collaboration and collective learning to reduce the environmental impact of surgical care. We warmly invite you to visit the new Perioperative planetary health resource page and email cec@acorn.org.au to share additional research and resources with the wider perioperative community.
Thank you
We are genuinely excited about how the draft standards are evolving and deeply appreciative of the input from our members and broader perioperative community. Your engagement is critical to shaping high-quality, implementable and professional standards for practice that reflect the complexities and realities of perioperative care in Australia.
Please keep the feedback coming – we love hearing from you!
by Jinseok Kim
Abstract
Introduction: Traditional pre-operative fasting practice often involves extended periods without fluids, and can be a source of discomfort and anxiety for patients. This can lead to negative experiences and potentially contribute to complications. Evidence suggests that these practices may not be necessary to minimise the risk of pulmonary aspiration during surgery. This quality improvement project implemented a nurse-led liberal fluid fasting regimen for pre-operative patients. The aim was to improve patient comfort and wellbeing while maintaining safety.
Process: Utilising the ‘knowledge-to-action’ framework for implementation science, the project implemented a nurse-led liberal fluid fasting regimen. This involved reviewing relevant literature, developing the regimen, educating staff and addressing potential barriers. Monitoring and evaluation included tracking adverse events and collecting surveys. The project ensures sustainability through ongoing staff training and observational audits.
Outcomes: The project demonstrated the safety of the regimen, with no reported cases of pulmonary aspiration or other serious adverse events. Statistically significant outcomes were observed in changes in nurses’ perceptions of patient wellbeing (p < 0.001), reduction in clinical signs and symptoms of dehydration (p < 0.001) and patients’ reports of emotional distress related to waiting times (p < 0.001).
Discussion: The project has not only addressed longstanding challenges in pre-operative fluid fasting practices but has also set a new standard for patient-centred care. It has demonstrated effectiveness in achieving a delicate balance between patient safety and enhanced comfort while fostering a culture of compassionate care provision, placing patient wellbeing at the forefront. This evidence-based approach offers a patient-centred alternative to traditional fasting practices and has the potential to be adopted by other healthcare facilities seeking to improve patient experience and streamline pre-operative care.
Read the full article
ACORN’s work is supported by seven state and territory perioperative nursing associations (the local associations or LAs).
While each of the associations retains its own integrity and independence, together we find strength in unity to provide professional leadership in perioperative practice and the advancement of safe, quality perioperative nursing care for Australians.
Documents of note:
Cleaning and disinfection of ultrasound transducers
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has produced this fact sheet that outlines the essential steps required to clean and disinfect ultrasound transducers used for percutaneous procedures.
Appropriate and safe use of chlorhexidine in healthcare settings
Guidance for health service organisations on the appropriate and safe use of chlorhexidine in healthcare settings.
WHO State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report
Published by World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses (ICN) and partners.
Upcoming documents of note:
The ACSQHC is preparing to develop the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (third edition) in collaboration with the healthcare system and community representatives.
Research:
Advisory group:
Climate and Health Expert Advisory Group (CHEAG)
The CHEAG provides advice to the Australian Government to support delivery of the National Health and Climate Strategy.
Campaigns:
Gloves do not replace hand hygiene – reminder from WHO
In the media:
ACORN Annual General Meeting
Saturday 28 June
VPNG Conference
Friday 8 August, Pullman Melbourne
NTPNA Conference
15–16 August, Darwin Hilton
19–20 September, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
ACORN 2026 Conference
14–16 May 2026, Brisbane Convention Centre
