During the Association of periOperative Registered Nurse's (AORN) 55th Annual Congress, the association's board of directors approved the development of an electronic Standardized Perioperative Record (SPR). This development initiative will result in the creation of a standardized record that will be integrated into perioperative information systems. The SPR will incorporate AORN's standardized nursing vocabulary, the Perioperative Nursing Data Set (PNDS), and align with clinical standards, accreditation specifications, and regulatory requirements to promote ongoing compliance and consistent patient care.

Standardized, evidence-based data derived from SPR documentation will be gathered into a secure national data repository. This data repository will support benchmarking activities across settings and institutions and will enable OR healthcare professionals to measure outcomes and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of care.

"With the advent of federal requirements for all patients to have an electronic health record by 2014, AORN is leading perioperative professionals into the future of healthcare,” says AORN executive director Linda Groah. “The approval of this initiative by our board of directors clearly demonstrates AORN's continued support and commitment to perioperative professionals.”

AORN represents approximately 40,000 registered nurses in the U.S. and abroad who facilitate the management, teaching, and practice of perioperative nursing, or who are enrolled in nursing education or engaged in perioperative research. Its members also include perioperative nurses who work in related business and industry sectors. For more information, visit www.aorn.org.